#behind it when we all KNOW what michael looks like when he's actually agitated. when he's actually emotional

[rurousha]

From Fox River to Central City, Ch 12/14

Chapter 12 - Facing Cold

1 – Team Flash & Legends, Mick-1 & Palmer 2 – Mayor Snart, clearly the most crooked here 4 – Cold-4, retired 11 – Killer Cold & Heatwave, bad guys 16 – Cold-16 & Sara-16, thieves 19 – Leonard-19 & Mick-19, smugglers 22 – Snart-22 & Rory-22, cyborg survivors 27 – Len-27 & Mickey-27, freedom fighters 29 – Michael-29, Lincoln, Veronica, & LJ, criminals but the good guys? 30 – Scofield-30, structural engineer 53 – Leo & Ray, 4-ever

He knew it was a trap. It could only be a trap. Three warehouses going up in flames nearly simultaneously and dangerously close to an apartment building had to be the work of Heatwave.

He knew it was a trap. What could Barry do but go anyway?

Barry spun his arms in an effort to suffocate the flames near an interior office while the two workers inside waited for their chance to bolt.

“Cisco," Barry called into his comms. “This fire is everywhere. I don’t think I can get it out quickly. Not alone.”

Then a shot of blue streaked past Barry and froze the burning beams next to him.

“Cold?”

~

Heatwave stood beside Cisco as the kid genius tapped violently at the computer. His eyes were manic but focused. Cisco was usually spaced out and disoriented, but he was lucid right now in a way Mick had only seen a few times, when they were steps away from killing another doppelganger. Snart’s doppelganger.

Killing Snart.

“You sure you can actually do what you’re trying to do from here?” Mick asked. “This office don’t look used much.”

“Don’t you know Rory? Computers are magic.” Cisco clicked one more series of keys and smiled. “And I’m a frickin’ wizard.” Then his hand shot out and opened a breach a few feet away. “Go. I’ll catch up.”

Mick went.

~

Mayor Snart leaned against the railing of the stairway landing above the cafeteria. He looked down at Cold-4, Michael, and Lincoln, the only ones left in here after lunch. Cold-4 and Michael were trying to discuss the science behind the cold gun, but they were agitated. Lincoln was trying to eat cold pancakes to calm himself down, but it didn’t look like he was having much luck.

Then he saw movement outside the room, on the other side of the floor-to-ceiling windows of the cafeteria. It was Killer Cold. He was walking across the concrete, headed straight for them.

Mayor Snart pointed from his vantage point over the cafeteria and shouted, “Cold!”

Cold-4, Michael, and Lincoln tracked his finger to Killer Cold outside. A breach opened, and Heatwave stepped out next to him.

“Get upstairs!” Cold-4 shouted at Michael and Lincoln, gesturing them up towards Mayor Snart.

“Facility-wide lockdown engaged,” a passive, computer voice alerted over the PA system.

Mayor Snart immediately bolted for the door on his left that led into the main halls of STAR Labs. He darted into the hall just before the door automatically slammed closed and locked.

“Shit,” Lincoln shouted. He and Michael were barely even to the base of the stairs.

“He’s got us cut off from each other,” Michael said.

Cold-4 looked back to Killer Cold and Heatwave as they approached one of the windows. It was just the three of them down here, and he was the only one armed.

Killer Cold stepped up to the window and pressed his cool hand against the glass. Frost immediately started to form fractals across it.

“Definitely shit,” Cold-4 said.

Killer Cold fired.

~

“Why won’t this door open?!” Mick-1 shouted. He was trying to force open the doors of the cortex to get to the hallway.

“Sorry, Mick, we’re trying,” Palmer said. He and Cisco were frantically typing on the computers, trying to get the lockdown lifted.

“Whoever initiated the lockdown blocked all my override codes,” Cisco explained. “Which means it was probably me. Other me.”

“Can’t you use your fancy black hole powers to get us out of here?” Mick growled at Cisco.

“Yes, but everyone else would still be trapped and isolated. Caitlin’s with the 16s in the med bay, and I don’t even know where everyone else is. At least here we have a decent chance of finding out where Killer Cold is going to attack.”

“Uh,” Palmer pointed at a blinking computer. “I think we just did.”

Cisco looked over Palmer’s shoulder. “The cafeteria.”

~

Cold-4 ducked and rolled away from dual ice and fire rays. He fired back at Heatwave, who spun behind some rubble to avoid another collision between his heat gun and a cold gun.

Fortunately, Cold-4 had managed to pull the fight outside. This meant that Michael and Lincoln, who were young, unarmed, and wholly unprepared for a supervillain fight, could move away from the shooting.

“Get out of here!” Cold-4 shouted at them and jerked his head towards the industrial district near STAR Labs. There were docks, shipping containers, alleys, and any number of buildings for them to hide in.

“But –“ Michael, the do-gooder, started to object, but his more sensible brother grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him towards the relative safety of the other buildings.

At least they were two fewer things to worry about.

Killer Cold shot at Cold-4, who ducked further behind the cover of a large tree in the grassy area outside the Labs. The blast grazed his side, but the thermal threading in his vest took the brunt of it.

Unfortunately, being outside meant that Killer Cold and Heatwave had the space to split up and approach Cold-4 from both sides. He could see Killer Cold in the reflection off a nearby car window and Heatwave along the walls of STAR Labs. That wasn’t good. If he died here, Sara was never going to let him hear the end of it.

Then there was the high whine of a cold gun and the metallic shrieking of twisting metal. Cold-4 looked up in time to see a frozen part of one of the metal spires atop STAR Labs break off and crash to the ground. Heatwave had to run to avoid being crushed.

“I get you, Mick?!” Leonard-19 shouted down. He had been on the roof of the Labs enjoying a couple beers and a quiet minute when the lockdown happened. Now he couldn’t get down, and the ground was well out of range of his cold gun. He had to improvise by freezing and knocking down bits of the roof. Luckily, there were many expendable bits to choose from.

“Not quite, Snart,” Heatwave shouted back up.

“Mick, go after the kid!” Killer Cold shouted at Heatwave. “I’ll handle these two.”

Heatwave shrugged vaguely in the direction of Cold-4 and took off for the industrial district.

~

“There!” Michael shouted and pointed at a side entrance to an industrial complex that had a gated fence.

“Right.” Lincoln ran for it with Michael right behind him. “We’ll lock it behind us.” Lincoln glanced back briefly to make sure Michael had the gate then ran ahead to make sure it was clear. He heard the chain slide around the post and, with a drop in his stomach, the padlock click shut.

He already knew what he was going to see.

Lincoln turned. Michael was on the wrong side of the fence, making sure the padlock was locked tight.

“No.” Lincoln ran back to the fence, but it was too late. Michael kept his head down, too ashamed to look Lincoln in the eye. “No no no no, Michael. Michael, don’t do this.”

“It’s done, Lincoln.” Michael finally looked up at his brother. Lincoln clutched at the chain link between them, separating them once again. “Get out of here. Heatwave will chase me.”

Michael reached his fingers through the chain link to grip Lincoln’s as best he could. It broke Lincoln’s heart to be in this position again, on the wrong side of a locked gate from a loved one and a death sentence between them.

“I love you, Lincoln,” Michael said. “Keep Veronica and LJ safe.”

Then Michael yanked his hands away from the fence and ran further into the industrial park.

“Michael!” Lincoln shouted after him. “Michael!”

Seconds later, Heatwave caught up to Lincoln, drawn by his shouting. He looked at Lincoln locked on the other side of the gate and shouldered his heat gun.

“Yer brother do that to ya?” Heatwave asked, gesturing toward the padlock.

Lincoln just glowered.

Heatwave nodded. “That’s a good kid. You did right by him.”

Lincoln growled, “If you touch him, I’ll kill you.”

Heatwave shrugged and headed out after Michael.

“You hear me?” Lincoln shouted after his doppelganger and banged on the gate. “I’ll kill you!”

~

Leonard-19 kicked frozen rubble off the roof in Killer Cold’s general direction, but Killer Cold easily rolled out of the way. It at least bought Cold-4 enough time to reposition to a more defensible spot in the parking lot.

Annoyed, Killer Cold shot a massive blast of blue plasma up at the roof, and he had much better range than Leonard-19’s cold gun. The blast struck the edge of the roof and froze into huge spikes of ice. The force of it threw Leonard-19 back and knocked the wind out of him. He raggedly huffed in some air and wobbled to his feet. The ice had formed a jagged wall taller than him.

“Dammit,” he whispered. He ran around it to the next clear patch of roof ledge, but the angle was bad. He could barely make out movement in the direction of Killer Cold and Cold-4. He was out of the fight.

~

On the ground in front of the Labs, Cold-4’s position was growing desperate. They had once again seriously underestimated the scale of Killer Cold’s power. The car in front of him froze, hard and brittle, and then shattered. Now completely exposed, Cold-4 shot Killer Cold directly in the chest with his cold gun.

Once the beam stopped, Killer Cold looked down at his chest. He was completely unharmed, only frost left across his shirt to show Cold-4’s work.

“Yeah, I suppose it was too much to ask for that to work,” Cold-4 griped at his murderous doppelganger.

“It really was,” Killer Cold agreed. He raised his right arm and pointed at Cold-4.

Then bullets and what could only be shots from a ray gun rained down on Killer Cold from his left. Ice immediately formed across his shoulders to form a type of shield from the bullets, but one of the rays hit his left arm just above the elbow. He shouted in pain and clamped his right hand over the burn. It hissed into steam.

Killer Cold looked left and found Snart-22 pointing his dual pistols at him from across the parking lot. Rory-22 stood next to him holding a paper grocery bag in one hand and a highly processed, sugar-packed Danish in the other. They had not been in the Labs at all but grocery shopping when Killer Cold attacked. The word ‘shopping’ being used loosely.

Rory munched his treat, and Snart shot both guns at Killer Cold again. Killer Cold, now prepared, formed an ice shield and deflected both shots.

Cold-4 decided he was useless here and took the opportunity to run after Michael and Lincoln. They needed his help much more than the cyborgs of Earth-22. Killer Cold paid him no mind.

Snart-22 was not Captain Cold. He wasn’t Citizen Cold. He was not, in fact, a Cold of any kind. He was just Leonard Snart, a violent, dangerous survivor of the hellhole that was Earth-22. He had his wits, his guns, and his friend, and that had always been enough.

Rory-22, however, was Heatwave. He carried no guns but instead had a tiny, red rock wired into his chest, just over his sternum.

“Are you going to burn something now?” Snart-22 asked flatly.

“I think I will,” Rory-22 answered. He (tragically) dropped both bag and Danish and stretched his scarred arms out to crack his knuckles.

Then his tapped the red stone on his bare chest. It glowed. Then his bones beneath his skin glowed as if lit up with an internal fire.

“What the…?” Killer Cold muttered.

He didn’t have a chance to say anything else before Rory shot a fireball at him with his bare hands. The force of it exploded Killer Cold’s shield of ice and sent him sprawling back onto the asphalt. Snart-22 tried to shoot Killer Cold while he was down, but Killer Cold quickly rolled out of the way and on to his feet. He shot tiny spears of ice from his finger tips at Snart, who dodged out of the way into the grassy park nearby.

Flames surrounded Rory. They grew in every direction and formed into a humanoid shape around Rory, making him seem far larger than he was. The liquid in some of the tubes of Rory’s cybernetics bubbled, and the asphalt melted at his feet.

Snart-22 got his footing and fired again at Killer Cold, but he waved his right hand and formed a wall of ice around him on that side. Then Killer Cold shot raw blue cold energy at Rory. Rory fired back, and the two energy blasts struck. Instead of exploding on each other, the fire overwhelmed the cold and pushed it back towards Killer Cold in a burst of hot steam.

Rory-22 pressed his advantage and marched forward, beam of fire ahead of him, footprints of black slag behind him. Killer Cold braced his feet and tried to hold the stream of cold, but the cold core in his arm was no match for the power of the Zambesi fire totem in Rory’s chest. He slid against the ground at his feet until his back hit the wall of STAR Labs behind him.

The wall of ice protecting Killer Cold from Snart-22’s guns was rapidly steaming and melting beside him. Snart-22 pointed his pistol at the wall in anticipation for a clear shot.

“Almost got him, Mick,” Snart-22 yelled at his partner. “Keep it up!”

Then there was an undignified “whoop”, and Rory fell through a breach that opened under his feet.

“Mick?” Snart-22 startled. He scanned around to find him and instead found Cisco standing on the other end of the grassy landscaping. It wasn’t Cisco of Earth-1. This Cisco was a mess of knotted hair and rumpled clothes. It was Vibe of Earth-11.

Vibe pointed up, and Snart followed his gesture. He looked up just in time to see Rory fall out of a closing breach hundreds of feet in the air. The wind and speed of his fall quickly extinguished the flames around him.

“Mick!” Snart-22 shouted.

He had little time to check on his partner, though. Abruptly free from flames and steam, Killer Cold shot ice after him, and Snart-22 had to run to stay clear.

“You got him?” Killer Cold yelled to Vibe.

“Oh yeah,” Vibe responded.

In the air, Rory-22 tried to twist around and get his hands beneath him. He shot fire from his hands in an effort to control his fall, but it took several tries to get himself steady. Then he was able to get his feet pointed down and shoot fire from them too. Finally, he started to slow down.

Vibe shook his head and opened another breach underneath Rory, who couldn’t help but fall in. Vibe dropped him from further up, this time at an angle so that Rory had to correct his trajectory again. Vibe opened breach after breach, faster and faster, to catch and drop Rory, always higher and at a sharper angle, spinning and disorienting him.

The human body can naturally withstand between four and six times the force of gravity before passing out. Rory was more resilient than most. He lasted until nearly seven. But then his fire went out, and he dropped like a stone.

The car park and grassy courtyard between the Labs and the offices nearby were a mess of bullet holes and ice patches. Snart saw his friend fall, and shouted, “Mick. Mick, wake up!”

His momentary distraction was his undoing, though. Killer Cold shot him straight in the chest. Ice bloomed over him and froze him in a giant block of ice, gaze still directed upward.

“One down,” Killer Cold gloated.

Suddenly, a bright gold light torpedoed through the air. It was Ray on a direct course for Rory’s falling form. He grabbed Rory around the waist, but he was going much too fast, and Rory was much too heavy. Unable to dodge around, Ray flew straight into a new breach and came out into the side of a skyscraper across town. The two launched through a wall of steel and glass, and the people inside screamed in surprise. The pair tumbled, unconscious, to a stop inside.

~

On the street level, Leo and Joe were stuck a few blocks away from STAR Labs. Crowds of people were screaming and fleeing the buildings near the fighting, blocking the street. Leo and Joe gave up on driving and exited the car, but they were still trying to go the opposite direction of the scared crowd.

“Excuse us, please, here we go,” Leo tried to push his way passed the running pedestrians.

“Police!” Joe shouted. “Everyone out of the way!”

That did little to calm the group and nothing to make them move.

So Leo shot his gun at a nearby streetlight. It froze, and the light shattered.

“Everyone, get the hell out of the way!”

They did.

~

In the cortex, Cisco gave a triumphant shout. “Yes! Lockdown lifted.” He immediately hit a button on his computer to activate the Lab-wide PA system.

“Anyone still in the building, get to the pipeline,” Cisco shouted into the PA’s microphone. “It’s safer there.”

Then he turned to Mick-1 and Ray Palmer. “Ray, man the comms. Heatwave, get to Caitlin in the med bay. She might need some help.”

“But – ,” Palmer started to object.

“You heard ‘im, Haircut.” Surprisingly, Mick quickly did as he was told and ran down the hall towards the med bay.

Palmer sat in Cisco’s vacated chair and put in an earpiece. Cisco grabbed his gauntlets and visor and breached outside.

~

At Cisco’s announcement, Sara-16 tore the med bay door open, just in case it tried to lock them in again. She pulled out her sticks and looked around the hallway. “We’re clear, let’s go.”

Caitlin tried to help Cold-16 out of bed but was pushed away.

“My legs work fine, Snow,” Cold-16 objected. His left arm was in a sling, and there were bandages wrapped around his torso. He grabbed his cold gun and followed after Sara.

~

Outside, Killer Cold and Vibe-11 were out of immediate targets. Heatwave was chasing after Michael and Lincoln around some nearby warehouses, and Cold-4 had gone after them. Rory-22 and The Ray were unconscious somewhere downtown. Barry was busy, Leonard-19 was trapped on the roof, and Snart-22 was a block of ice.

“Inside then,” Killer Cold said.

“Not yet,” Vibe held up a hand.

A breach opened, and Cisco-1 hopped out.

“Just you, Cisco?” Killer Cold asked.

“Yeah, I was really hoping there were others already out here.” Cisco-1 looked at the destruction around him and Snart frozen like a giant popsicle. He hoped that didn’t shatter during their fight. He waved at Vibe-11. “Hey evil me.”

“The stars are ringing, singing, screaming, and I hear them all.”

“Not this again.”

“Somebody has to go polish the stars, and I am not afraid of what I am.”

“Right… so you’ve gone for the full-on crazy pants option, then. That’s – that’s great.”

Suddenly, Cisco-1 had to duck and roll away from a stream of cold.

“I missed on purpose, Cisco,” Killer Cold said. “It would be best if you survived this, but I will go through you if I have to. Are you really willing to die alone here for those killers and monsters in there?”

Cisco shifted his weight, ready to dodge or breach if he needed to.

“Yeah, I really wish I was an even slightly worse person so I could say no, but here I am.”

“He’s not alone,” Vibe-11 said flatly.

In a flash of yellow lightning, Barry ran to his friend’s side.

“You heard him, Killer Cold,” Barry said. “He’s not alone.”

Killer Cold raised his eyebrows in surprise. “I’ll admit I expected the fire to take you at least a few more minutes. How’d you get here so fast?”

“I had backup.”

~

Mickey-27 shot at the blaze moving towards him and the people he was evacuating.

“Come on, this way, let’s move it!” Mickey-27 yelled as he herded them towards an exit.

Len-27 held a frozen door open for the civilians while keeping an eye on the nearest flames. One of the evacuees lost his footing and took a second to fix his shoe. “No, please, take your time. It’s only a fire. No pressure.”

~

Cold-4 found Lincoln apparently lost in the maze of industrial buildings and factories.

“Cold!” Lincoln shouted at him. “You have to help me find Michael. He left me behind, and now Heatwave’s after him.”

“Okay, this way,” Cold-4 said.

He led Lincoln back the way he came. They reemerged near STAR Labs, but the fight had moved away from them and towards a small park near the river.

“This isn’t where Michael is, Cold. We have to go help him.”

“Lincoln, listen to me. Michael is smart; he’ll find a way to ditch Mick and get back here.”

“You don’t get it at all, do you? That is my baby brother trapped in there with a psycho killer.”

“And do you know where he is, Lincoln? Because I don’t. But we have friends down there right now that need our help. So come on.”

~

Michael knew what he needed to do. He just needed a couple minutes to do it. The warehouse he was in was large, more of an entire complex or network of buildings. The HVAC system was exposed along the ceiling and walls. It was gas heated. He could work with that.

First, he found a more enclosed corner of the building.

“Where ya hidin’ young, fake Snart?” Heatwave shouted from somewhere else in the complex. The echoes made it impossible to guess how far away he was.

Second, Michael used a crowbar lying around to break open a gas pipe. There was no way Heatwave wouldn’t hear that.

“Just hold tight, and this’ll be over a lot faster.”

Third, he increased the pressure of the gas until it exited the broken pipe with a soft hiss. Then he waited.

He didn’t have to wait long. Heatwave turned a corner and leveled his gun at Michael.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you, Mick. You smell that? That’s propane. It’s filling the room, and if you fire that gun - .”

Heatwave fired his gun.

The explosion threw Michael back into a wall, knocking the wind out of him. But the gas in the air cleared quickly.

Heatwave strode through the few remaining flames.

“I’m an arsonist, idiot. You really think I can’t tell the difference between propane and natural gas? Plus it takes more’n a couple minutes to fill a room this size.”

Michael gasped air back into his lungs. “It was worth a shot.”

Heatwave stepped right up to him. He pulled his goggles down around his neck.

“Smart ass kid with your smart ass mouth. Always getting into trouble.”

Michael did get into trouble a lot. He usually didn’t mean to. He stole food a few times as a kid when his foster parents rationed snacks. He smoked a grand total of one time outside the school weight room with that idiot Terry Jace just so he could feel like a normal teenager. He lied about where he’d been when he snuck out to see Lincoln. But mostly he lied to Lincoln. About the snacks and the cigarettes and the sneaking out. Lincoln never bought it, called him a smart ass, and gave him a black eye to remind him not to do it again.

In that moment, Heatwave seemed so much like his brother that it broke his heart.

“But usually I had you to get me out of it.”

Heatwave steeled his jaw and tightened his grip on his gun.

And in that moment, Michael looked so much like Snart – 14 years old and bleeding on the concrete floor in juvie – that it broke his heart that he had long ago learned to ignore.

~

With Barry keeping Killer Cold busy, Cisco-1 tried to fight against his murderous doppelganger. But it wasn’t a fair fight by any means. Vibe-11 seemed to be so much stronger than Cisco. It wasn’t even like Cisco’s first fight with Gypsy. His vibrational blasts were constantly interrupted or overwhelmed by those of Vibe-11. Vibe always seemed to know exactly where Cisco was going to breach to before he even got there. It was almost like he could - .

“See the future?” Vibe finished Cisco’s thought. Cisco had taken another blast to the chest and was knocked on his back. His mad look-alike loomed over him. “I can see everything, you know. You can too. But you don’t. You’re too scared to try. Too scared of yourself, your power, and what parts of yourself you might lose if you ever actually tried.”

Vibe blasted Cisco with both hands, and Cisco was thrown across the ground.

“But you won’t be able to protect him with half-measures. You won’t be able to protect anyone.” Vibe stalked closer to Cisco. “So I have to do it for you.”

Cisco stormed to his feet and shot a vibrational blast at his doppelganger, but Vibe opened a breach right in front of him and sucked it up.

Not far away, Barry ran out of the way of another one of Killer Cold’s bursts of ice. He ran up the side of STAR Labs and just cleared the roof when he spotted Leonard-19 holding his hand out. Barry grabbed it and pulled Leonard close to him to run back down with him.

But the trip back down didn’t go according to plan. Vibe’s breach opened up beside him, and Cisco’s redirected blast hit him in the side. Barry and Leonard-19 fell the four remaining stories and hit the ground.

“Barry!” Cisco shouted.

“He’ll be fine.” Vibe-11 kept himself between Cisco and his friend. “But Cold won’t.” To Killer Cold, he shouted. “Kill him, Cold. That one’s even worse than the others. He loves Barry. You know that will get him killed so much faster than hate. Kill him!”

Killer Cold advanced on the fallen two.

“Leonard,” Barry groaned. He looked at Killer Cold. Leonard-19 had thankfully fallen on top of him, and Barry tried to roll the semi-conscious man off of him, to put himself between Killer Cold and Leonard-19. Leonard did his best to shift off Barry and let him up.

Barry painfully got to his feet. “Leonard,” he pleaded, “you don’t need to do this. You don’t need to protect me, and you don’t need to kill them. Please, just stop this.”

“No Barry,” Vibe spoke for them both. “The multiverse is better off without Leonard Snart. You are better off without Leonard Snart.”

He nodded to Killer Cold and steadied one hand at Barry while keeping the other on Cisco. Killer Cold leveled his hand at Leonard-19, still on the ground behind Barry. The circuits and blood vessels in his arm glowed blue in preparation to fire as soon as Vibe cleared Barry out of the way.

“I’m sorry Barry.”

But then Heatwave’s heavy hand landed on Killer Cold’s left shoulder.

“Mick?” Killer Cold asked.

“It’s taken care of, Snart.”

“Then go for one of the others inside.”

“Nah, kid. I never should have let it get this far.”

Heatwave stepped up right behind Killer Cold and wrapped his left arm around his partner’s shoulders.

Cold’s eyes widened. “Mick?”

“I’m sorry kid.” Heatwave pressed the muzzle of his gun up against the back of his friend’s ribs and fired.

The resulting blast from the absolute heat hitting Killer Cold’s freezing body knocked everyone off their feet, and the ice and glass from nearby buildings shattered. Cold was thrown forward, and he rolled several times before he finally stopped dozens of feet from where he started. Heatwave was sprawled on his back.

Lincoln was one of the first to recover. “Michael? Michael!” Heatwave had said that he got the kid. But Michael couldn’t, he couldn’t leave him.

“Lincoln!” Michael shouted and ran from around the side of the building. Lincoln heaved a sigh of relief but was surprised when Michael ran not to him but to Heatwave.

Michael skidded on the rubble around Heatwave when he tried to kneel down beside him. “Mick? Mick!” Heatwave’s gun had shattered in his hand, shredding his right arm, and pieces of the gun were embedded in his torso. Michael scrambled to feel for a pulse. There was nothing.

Michael inhaled a shuddering breath, trying to calm himself down. He took Mick’s head in shaking hands and used his thumbs to close his eyes. “Thank you Mick,” he whispered. “Thank you for getting me out of trouble one more time.”

Lincoln stumbled to a stop beside his brother and dropped to his knees to grab him into a hug.

A short ways away, Vibe was sobbing and clutching at Killer Cold’s frozen arm. “No no no, you have to get up. You have to fix it. Cold!”

Barry sped Caitlin to Vibe’s side. She knelt beside her friend’s distraught doppelganger and looked Killer Cold over. He was still breathing, but she didn’t need to be a doctor to realize that he wouldn’t for long. There was a blackened hole torn through his side. The fire had cauterized it, so there was very little blood. But the blast had torn away part of his torso. A few of his ribs were exposed. Even now, the ice from Cold’s right arm was spreading down in an attempt to stabilize the massive wound. It wouldn’t work.

Caitlin rubbed Vibe’s back in an attempt to calm him down. Then she looked at Barry and shook her head.

Barry knelt on Killer Cold’s opposite side. “Hey Leonard,” he said softly.

Cold slowly turned his head to look at Barry. It took him a few seconds to focus on him. “Hey Scarlet.”

“You, uh, you really went all out this time, didn’t you?” Barry tried to chuckle at the mess around him. It didn’t work.

“I just wanted to keep you safe,” Cold said weakly.

“I know. I know you did.” Barry set his hand on Cold’s forearm, at a loss for words.

Cold knew, though. He raised his hand up and cupped Barry’s cheek. Somehow, it was still warm against Barry’s skin. “There was never any version of me that was not in love with every version of you.”

Barry sobbed. “I miss you, Leonard.”

The ice crept across his body, up his neck and face, until it finally stopped at his left shoulder. His hand dropped.

Leonard Snart was dead.

[adammilligan]

michael did not even fight BACK. do you UNDERSTAND all he wanted to do was live a peaceful little life with adam and when that was ripped from him he resigned himself to his fate and when he died he didn't even fight BACK. he didn't even STRUGGLE he didn't even MOVE

[sandbees]

Yuu and the House of Mouse; The...Great Seven?

It’s been three weeks since Yuu has worked at the House of Mouse.

Headmaster Crowley decided that going would be a great experience! He graciously gave you permission to work there! (Just don’t forget to do your homework and get a good rest after; he doesn’t want you to be lagging behind your classes after all!)

At the House of Mouse, you eventually learned the ins and outs; and you’ve gained everyone’s attention. They like you a lot! You have this, “If I talk to you about my problems you’ll listen kindly and either give me advice or continue to let me vent out my feelings” vibe.

Being a (sort of) therapist must have helped, huh?

You yourself have a few favorite guests that you can always look forward to seeing;

Tiana and Naveen: You hit it off when you first met. Something about their dynamic and allowing you to vent about back at Twisted Wonderland gave you good vibes about them. They’re polite guests, and they have given you advice on how to improve your work. Tiana has (once) invited you to work for them if you wanted to work at another job, but you tell them that you have school. They’re immediately concerned, because someone going to school working at a job with very demanding and colorful characters? You assure them that you’ve manage to balance school and work, however they seem less than convinced. Though nothing big changed, they occasionally remind you to take breaks and to have fun watching the cartoons on screen when you’re not busy waiting tables. (They also give you candy from their time! Butterfingers, anyone?)

Hades: He’s a frequent guest at the House of Mouse. You had lent an ear to his complaints, and then again, and then again, and soon enough you’re his personal therapist. You’re the go-to waiter whenever Hades shows up; much to the delight of the staff (The penguin waiters are...a little scared of Hades). It’s surprising how little he seems to reflect Ignihyde. He’s like a shut in extrovert. However, when you tell Hades this, he becomes very interested in your world. He’ll let you ramble about what you know about Twisted Wonderland, and he’s going to make smug comments about it. After that encounter, Hades starts conversations with you that isn’t just complaining about his siblings. In fact, he’s one of your pep talkers when you’re feeling stressed or down.

The Darling Siblings: If you don’t recognize them, they’re the siblings from Peter Pan! (Wendy, John, and Michael) When you first met them, they acted very polite. And they gave “children, protect them” vibes. As you continue to work, you discover that the children had a more playful side to them. You could easily joke with them and in exchange Wendy would tell you stories or John and Michael would tell you about their recent adventures.

Scrooge McDuck: Donald introduced him to you, actually. He mentioned, “Since you sound like you’ve been on a lot of adventures, I think you might like to share stories.” How right he was. Scrooge’s stories were captivating and enchanting, you’d always be on the edge of your seat hearing them. Whenever he swung by and you were on break, you two would be swapping stories of your lives. He was most interested in your first day story; about the magical chandelier specifically. You always look forward to a new story he would have.

Of course there were others, but the ones listed above were the people you loved seeing.

Today was a typical night in the House of Mouse, though everyone seemed...a little agitated?

You ask Mickey, and he explains that there was a reservation for a villain get together...and last time, it went poorly.

You offer to serve them as a waiter, since you’re sure that you can handle it.

“Are you sure?” “I’ve dealt with worse characters...I think. By the way, can I get the list of who’s going?”

You find out Hades was the one who reserved it (oh thank goodness, someone you’re already familiar with. And he likes you)

He’s also bringing - “I’m sorry, can you repeat that?” “The Queen of Hearts, Scar, Ursula, Jafar, The Evil Queen, and Maleficent.” “I-“

Imagine your shock when you find out Hades is bringing all of the Great Seven. You’ve already met Maleficent, but someone like the Queen of Hearts, or the Beautiful Queen??? You’re ready to walk to your doom right now.

When the doors open, you go about your night as usual, though your on edge as you anxiously wait for the Great Seven to arrive. This would be the first time you would be interacting with most of them.

When they arrive, you greet them and take them to their table, doing normal procedure.

However, things go south when Hades asks Yuu to come and have a chat with them when they go on break.

“yeAH suuurrreee-“ “Great! They have a lot of questions and I think they’d like to hear what you have to say!”

Yuu is making high pitch dying screams when she gets to the kitchen.

“Oohhhh my god, they want to talk to me. What if I mess up? What if they dislike me and then try to kill me? Oh no oh no-“

Yuu is trying not to scream in excitement and stress as Mickey excuses her to talk with the Great Seven.

The meeting? It goes well.

When they ask about their world, Yuu describes their time at NRC, and how the villains were praised as good people, and were known as the “Great Seven”.

They were very intrigued about this, and would always puff up when Yuu praised them. They also ask questions about Yuu as well!

What? They’re villains, but they’re not rude.

They listen to your tales, and are sympathetic to the idiots that you surround yourself with. They get it, they are also surrounded by idiotic, self centered heroes who think they’re in the right- (projecting much?)

The Queen of Hearts is a lot more than you expected; she’s strict, but she also has good humor (as long as you don’t mock her). When you ask what kind of tarts she likes, she responded with “Any kind of tart, however jam filled tarts are one of my favorites.”. You wonder if she’d like the tarts Trey would make.

Scar...isn’t talkative, though he seems very pleased when you talk about what NRC thinks of him. He’s actually kinder to you - you’ve heard stories from Goofy and the penguins waiters that Scar is hard to please.

Ursula is what you would call a sweet talker. Kind of like Hades, but you can tell that she wants something. You indulge her, answering any questions about your world. She seems particularly interested in the rivalry between NCR and RSA, however.

Jafar wants to know everything about Scarabia. From it’s current standing to it’s history. You try your best to explain as much as you know about the dorm; but you mention that your information is limited since it wasn’t your dorm. He’s satisfied with what you give, but Jafar tells you that next time, he’d like to know more. You better go study up on Scarabia now :) (Or ask Kalim or Jamil about Scarabia)

The Beautiful (Evil?) Queen acts smug, and she seems relaxed around your presence. Maybe it’s because you told her that she’s known as the Beautiful Queen? She wants to know who is housed in her dorm, and like Jafar, she wants to know everything about Pomfiore. When she heard about the VDC, she asks multiple questions about it. (“When the VDC comes around, maybe I shall grace everyone with my presence...hmm, or should I help NRC’s team? I mean, they would represent me, of course.”

I’ve actually mentioned that you have met Hades and Maleficent in this ask

Hades and Maleficent consider you as friends (maybe not close friends, but friends nonetheless)

The rest of the Great Seven also have positive opinions on you; and they try their best to live up to your expectations! They can’t have you turn your back on them after you openly praise them!

You’re dragged away from your job - instead you focus on entertaining the Great Seven! (Which was fine, Pete was at it again by trying to drive out the guests; you kept the Great Seven in so they could still run the show!)

As the night went on, you felt yourself getting less and less nervous about being with the Great Seven. You had loads of fun!

Of course the show ended sooner than you liked; and it was closing time.

“It was really wonderful to meet you! Maybe we’ll see each other again when the House of Mouse opens again?”

“Why would we wait for nighttime? I have a magic portal to travel to Twisted Wonderland whenever we’d like.”

“I’m sorry, what?”

Turns out Maleficent had an easier way to travel to Twisted Wonderland; but she gave you a sparkling gem. She told you that when she gave everyone (The Great Seven) a way to travel to Twisted Wonderland, they’d surely visit you. With the gem, it will sparkle and shine a certain color when they do.

The color? Well, of course it would be the dorm colors! It would be easier that way, would it not?

So, in the near future, the Great Seven would be able to visit you.

What do you think? You’re not against the idea; but the idea of one of them showing up during class is going to be a nightmare.

Oh well, future you will worry about that.

You thank Maleficent and go about returning to your world.

Before you get to the mirror, Mickey stops you.

“Hey, I just wanted to thank you for making sure the villains stay, it was a lifesaver and you saved our show.” “No...problem?” “Haha, our club would’ve been toast if they left! Thank you again!” “...Your welcome?”

And then you departed from the House of Mouse, immediately crashing onto your bed. Lazily, you take a glance at your mirror, wondering when you’ll see the Great Seven.

Then you promptly fall asleep.

[vampiredecay]

I Can Hear Your Heart Beat (Part 1)

A/N: heyo! this is the first part of a two parter, in celebration of hitting a little over 50 followers! this was a prompt/suggestion from @n3on-lights , thank you again so much!! originally this was going to be one part, but i realized i was at 3k words and only half way done with the story, lol. so part two will be out soon! in the mean time, hope you enjoy this first half!

rating: teen

wordcount: 3,139

warnings/notes: swearing, descriptions of being in pain, half vamp!michael, human!lost boys, the boys turn back to human, implied minor character death, goodbye max, poly!lost boys, lost boys x michael

summary: after convincing sam that he wasn't going to kill him, michael raced to the hotel to seek answers about what he was becoming. little does he know, sam has his own plans up his sleeve, leaving the boys human for the first time in years, and michael still stuck as half vampire.

--

“Sammy, please!” Michael cried out, hanging onto the phone cord for dear life, hoping to whatever god out there was merciful enough to put some sense into his little brother's head. Sam just stared, debating if he should really let his brother in or not. He was floating outside his bedroom window like a freak, and he tried to eat him! But when Sam looked at him, at his older brother, he could see that he looked terrified. He's hardly ever seen Michael genuinely afraid, and he looks so human, despite the obvious circumstances. So, Sam takes a deep breath and walks over to the window, unlocking it and opening it for Michael to crawl through.

Michael counts his blessings as he drops onto the floor, takes in huge amounts of air that he doesn't really need. Sam sinks down to the floor next to him, and Michael grabs hold of him, wrapping his arms around him like he'll start flying away again. Sam tries not to squirm too much.

"What's goin on, Mike?" Sam whispers, his voice refusing to go any higher. Michael is shaking slightly, breathing heavily, so Sam tries again, "What did those bikers do to you?"

That gets a reaction out of him, a low growling sound from deep in his throat. Michael can hear Sam's heartbeat quicken and he has to swallow thickly. "I don't know, Sam. But I'll sort it out, okay?"

"But what about mom-" Sam tries, but Michael cuts him off, frantic, "Just- just don't tell her anything, okay? You gotta trust me, Sammy."

Sam wants to argue, this was way bigger than getting a bad grade on a test, or getting into a fight in school. His gut reaction was to tell his mom, because he knew she would try and make it okay again. But he also trusted his brother. Plus, he had more experience with these guys, so Sam nodded, deciding Michael had it covered. “Okay. I trust you.”

Michael let out a sigh of relief, but it was short lived once they heard their moms car screeching to a halt outside of the house. The boys frantically got up, looking at each other with wide eyes. “I gotta go, Sam. Distract mom for me, yeah?” There wasn’t any time to debate, so Sam just nodded and sprinted down the stairs. He didn't know how Michael was going to sneak out, but at this rate, he didn’t want to know.

When he got down stairs, the blond teen could hear his mom calling his name, and when the front door opened, he could see his mom looking worried like crazy. “Oh, Sam!” she said once she saw him, she sounded exhausted. “You scared me half to death!”

Sam felt guilt start to stir in his chest, he didn’t mean to make his mom worry so much. And the fact that he had to lie now didn’t help matters at all. “I’m okay, mom. I was reading a horror comic and I thought I saw someone outside my window- but I just got carried away, that's all.”

Lucy stared at her son, trying to understand the excuse he was feeding her. She squinted her eyes at him. “You got carried away by a comic book?”

Sam tried not to flinch, he knew it sounded like bullshit, but it was the best he could come up with on the fly. “It was a scary comic mom. I’m sorry.”

The look on his mom's face made it clear she was frustrated. She couldn’t believe how her boys were acting, like she didn’t raise them better. “You know, I’ve just about had it with the both of you, you know that?” Sam nodded his head and looked down at his feet, and she almost forgave him then. But then her eyes landed on the kitchen, and her frustration flared up all over again. “What is this mess?”

Sam looked over to where his mom was talking about, and saw the spilt milk and open fridge door. God damnit, Mike. He tried telling her that it wasn’t his fault, but she wasn’t listening, not that he could blame her at this point. When he was done cleaning up the floor, Sam raced up to his room, pausing to see that Michael had long gone. Wasting no more time, he launched himself on his bed and called the Frog brothers again.

It took a few rings, but eventually, Edgar had answered the call. “What?” he asked, short and coarse. Sam rushed to answer, “Guys, it's me again.”

Edgar sighed from over the phone, “What, Sam? We told you to stake your brother, what more do you want?”

“Look guys, Michael and I talked, he’s going to try and talk to the vamps that got him, but there has to be something more that we can do!”

There was some vague conversation that Sam couldn’t hear, then Alan was speaking, “Do you know if he made his first kill? Can he still walk in sunlight?”

“No, he hasn’t killed anyone, and yes, he can still walk in sunlight.” Sam said, “That means he’s only half shit sucker, right?”

Alan grumbled into the phone, like he didn’t want to be entertaining this idea at all. “Yes, so technically, if you kill the head vampire, all half vampires would return to being human.” Sam was ready to celebrate, he was about to say something like “hell yeah!”, but then Alan asked something that made him cut the celebration short. “Does your brother know who the head vampire is?”

“Uh,” Sam mumbled, "No, I don't think so."

"We can't screw around anymore, Sam." Edgar said, taking the phone back. "Kill your brother, or we'll be forced to do it for you "

"Wait, no!" Sam shouted, desperate to think of something that would help. "We just gotta find the head vampire, right? We-" as he was talking, Sam suddenly thought of something. "Actually, I might know who the head vampire is."

"What?" Edgar asked, voice high and tight. "Well, this all started when my mom started working at Max's video store."

He could hear both the Frogs groaning. "Wait guys, hear me out! He doesn't come in till after dark, he has a dog that's always growling at people, and I read that vampires have hell hounds as companions!"

"Well duh, but-" Edgar started, but Sam cut him off. "If my mom is dating the head vampire, you guys can nail him and save Santa Carla!"

The Frogs were silent for a few seconds, so Sam tacked on "Truth, justice, and the American way triumphs, thanks to you two."

That seemed to convince them, because after a few more seconds, Edgar said "Alright, we'll check Max out. Tonight. Get ready, we'll come get you in ten minutes."

Sam froze, mouth open wide against the phone. "Tonight? Can't we wait until tomorrow?"

"This was your idea, Sam." Alan said, more rustling could be heard from the background. "If Max is clean, we're coming for your brother and his friends tomorrow. Be ready." Before Sam could say anything more, they hung up the phone.

--

When Michael got to the hotel, it was dark and quiet. There weren't as many candles lit, making shadows dance and flicker against the walls, and the only sounds Michael could hear were drops of water bouncing around the cave.

"David?" Michael called out, walking further into the hotel. The place was eerie now, without the boys there, dancing and laughing and joking around. "David? Anyone here?"

Where the hell were they? Michael was getting agitated, a hot irritation settling under his skin as he looked around the cave. If they weren't even here, he didn't know what he was going to do. Michael needed answers, he needed to know what the hell was happening to him.

"I'm not fucking around." The brunette said to the air. "I want answers, and I want them now!"

Silence. Michael snarled at nothing and turned around to stomp towards the exit, but then he heard an all too familiar voice echoing out the cave.

"I'm right here, Michael."

David was standing at the entrance, Dwayne, Paul and Marko lurking behind him. The platinum blond gave a wide smirk as he walked down into the cave, eyeing the angry halfling. “What’s going on?”

“What the hell did you do to me?” Michael demanded, walking right up to David and getting into his face. David cocked an eyebrow as the rest of the boys surrounded him, whispering and laughing. “Whatever do you mean?”

“Cut the bullshit! I’m hungry, I’m in pain, I was floating on the goddamn ceiling-”

“Woah,” Paul interrupted, sounding amazed, “You got there already? It took me a while-” Marko kicked Paul’s leg before he could continue, making the blond rocker yelp loudly. David cleared his throat and suddenly looked deadly serious. “You drank from the bottle, Michael. You’re one of us now.”

“But what the hell does that mean?” Michael was starting to feel drained, he was so tired of going around in circles, and it feels like he hasn’t gotten proper sleep in weeks. “What the fuck was in that bottle that makes me float off the ground and makes me want to eat my brother?”

The boys all looked at each other like they were having a silent conversation.

“Take it easy, man.” Dwayne said, clapping a hand on his shoulder. He was smiling like nothing was off or weird about this situation at all. “You’ll get the hang of it. Just go with the flow.”

Michael was about to ask what he’d “get the hang of”, but Marko spoke before he could. “It’s getting late, you should probably go home.” The way he spoke and the look he gave had an air of finality, like fighting would get him nowhere. This had been a huge waste of time.

“Fine.” Michael spit, shoving past David roughly as he walked towards the entrance. He would have to find answers some other way. As much as he hated it, he might have to resort to Sam’s weird friends. It was the last thing he wanted to do, but they seemed to be the only other ones who knew anything about-

“Wait!” Paul called out, making Michael stop in his tracks. He turned around and looked at Paul, who had a weird look on his face. His eyebrows were scrunched down and he held a hand to his middle. “Do you guys feel that?”

The others looked confused, but soon their faces contorted into concern and agitation. Marko’s hand shot to Paul's arm, gripping like his life depended on it, while Dwayne and David held onto each other, as if keeping each other from falling. Marko was panting, “What the fu-”

Suddenly, Markos words were cut off by a loud screeching sound. Michael nearly jumped out of his skin as the boys started shouting and screaming, falling to the ground hard. The halfling stared at them in shock.

“What happened?! What's wrong?!” Michael asked frantically, panicked, running back over and crouching over the pile of writhing bodies. No one could answer, the only sounds coming from them were grunts and whimpers of pain. Michael could only stand and watch, horrified that he had no idea what was going on.

After what felt like an eternity, the screaming stopped. The boys stopped convulsing on the ground, completely still and silent, like they passed out. The silence was deafening now. Michael slowly walked over to David, breathing heavily, anxious out of his mind. He placed a gentle hand to his cheek, finding him surprisingly warm. He checked his pulse, then, and found a shallow, but steady heart beat. Michael then checked the other boys and found the same warmth and beat. The teen sighed in relief, they were all alive, at least. They seemed to be out cold, though, and Michael knew that he needed to move them from the cold hard ground.

One by one, he moved each of the boys to a chair or couch, trying to make them as comfortable as possible. Michael looked around, but didn’t find any stashed food or water, so he decided to hurry out and get them something to eat when they woke up. He didn’t know if they would be hungry or not, but it would be worth the try.

Michael sped on his bike to the nearest convenience store and grabbed a basket, stuffing it with random chips and snacks. He also grabbed a few bottles of water and threw it in the basket. When he went up to the counter to pay, the cashier gave him an odd look, but he just smiled awkwardly. The total almost drained his wallet, which hurt, but there were more important things to worry about right now.

The trip back to the hotel was a bit of a pain in the ass, but he managed to get there in one piece. He parked his bike and hauled the food and water down into the cave, and when he was in the main lobby, he was startled to see that the boys were awake. They were all huddled around each other, holding and touching in whatever way they could. All of them wore similar shocked, concerned and disturbed expressions on their faces. It almost felt wrong to intrude on them, but he accidentally made a noise and alerted the boys to his presence.

“Michael?” David called out, but his voice was smaller, less sure. Michael immediately walked over to them, setting the bag down as he squatted next to the couch they were all piled in.

“Hey, are you guys okay? What the hell happened?” As he talked, Michael pulled out bottles of water and handed them out to each of the boys. They snatched the bottles out of his hands and opened them like they haven’t drank water in years, guzzling down the liquid and getting it all over themselves in the process.

“Woah, guys, slow down-” But they didn’t listen, not even if they started choking and coughing. When the waters were drained, Paul crawled over everyone to grab the bag full of snacks and dig through it.

“Michael.” David said, looking intensely at his face, studying every inch he could look at. He grabbed at Michaels arm and pulled him closer. “Do you feel any different? Did you change back?”

The brunette stared at him, bewildered. “Change? No, I feel the same as before.”

David's eyes widened, and Paul stopped tearing into a bag of potato chips, mouth gaping. “Wait, he’s still half? How’s that possible?”

Marko and Dwayne gave each other a disbelieving look, and Michael scrunched up his face in confusion. “Half what? What are you guys talking about?”

No one said anything for a long moment. David sighed and ran his hands through his spiked hair. “I guess we have no choice but to tell you.”

Michael watched as David sat up straighter, a pained look on his face, like his whole body ached. He looked uncomfortable as he said, “We were vampires, Michael. And you’re one, too. Half, anyway. You still haven’t made your first kill.”

So many thoughts and questions flooded Michaels mind at that moment. His first reaction was to call David crazy, but he remembered what it felt like to fly out his bedroom window, how painfully hungry he was and how loud he could hear Sam's heartbeat, even from the bathroom. His reflection in the mirror was fading and weak. Michael couldn’t fuckin believe this.

Michael stood up so fast he felt lightheaded. “So- you’re telling me,” He started, pacing in front of the couch. The rest of the boys were no longer paying attention, too busy devouring the snacks from the bag, but David was watching him walk back and forth. “That I’m a half vampire. An actual, honest to god vampire. That’s just fuckin great!” Michael shouted, and David winced at the sound.

“Wait.” The halfling stopped pacing and turned back to the platinum blond. “What do you mean you were a vampire?”

David blew air through his nose like an angry bull. He shifted around in his seat before answering, “We have a master. Or, I guess we did. If the vampire that turned you dies, you turn back into a human.”

“Which must be why Michael hasn’t turned back.” Dwayne chimed in suddenly, still chewing loudly on chips. Michael was lost at this point, which must have been clear on his face, cause Marko pitched in with, “You drank David’s blood from the bottle, not Max’s. David didn’t die, just turned back into a human. So, therefore, you can’t go back to being human.”

Michael didn’t know which fact he hated more, that his mom's dorky (now ex, he supposed) boyfriend was a head vampire, or that he drank actual blood. A lot of it, if he remembered properly. He groaned loudly and sank to the floor, head in his hands. “So you’re saying I'm stuck like this?”

“Well…” Paul started, but didn’t get to finish. David interrupted, irritation clear in his voice. “We don’t know. We don’t know jack shit.”

The tension was thick in the air. Michael had no idea what they were going to do now. Living in a sunken hotel may have been okay when they were vampires, but it’s not gonna fly being human. He knew he couldn’t just leave them here. Michael sighed and stood back up, walking over to the entrance. It was still dark out, but he figured it was going to be morning soon. He walked back down and stood in front of the boys.

“Look, we’ll figure out how to change me back,” David huffed at that, looking less than amused. Michael rolled his eyes. “But until then, you guys are basically homeless. Why don’t you come stay with me for a few days?”

The boys froze. They looked at each other, and they looked at Michael, wondering if this was some kind of joke. They had lived in that cave so long it felt like forever, they couldn’t imagine leaving what they considered their home.

“What about your mom? And your brother?” David asked, knowing that it couldn’t be that easy, right? Surely Michaels family would bitch about them being there. But Michael didn’t look bothered. “Sam can be an ass, but he’ll deal. And my mom wouldn’t kick you guys out.”

David was still hesitant. He still didn’t want to believe he was human again, after all these years. It hurts to even think about it. He felt a nudge against his shoulder, and when he looked over, he saw Marko, shrugging his shoulders.

“What do we have left to lose?”

[amazingmaeve]

Crush - Michael Gray

Main Masterlist // Peaky Blinders Masterlist

Summary: Y/N has had a crush on John Shelby for a while but she never expected falling for his cousin.

AN: Johns still alive in this. And sorry if it sucks and has an abrupt ending.

Pairing: Michael Gray x Female!Oc, John Shelby x Female!Oc (platonic)

Warnings: Smoking, language, drinking, mentions of sex

Y/N has had always had a crush on John Shelby. Ever since her mother took her over to Aunt Pollys house. She remembered that day like the back of her hand.

After that day she always had this crush on him. He would never pay attention to it though. Y/N thought he didn’t know.

But everyone knew. Especially when she talked to him. Y/N would stutter and always looked at the ground. Y/N would have butterflies in her stomach.

John knew he always thought it was adorable that she had a crush on him.

When he got married to Esme Y/N still had a crush on him it didn’t change anything. She didn’t hate her though.

The same as John she thought it was cute Y/N had a crush on him. Esme didn’t take offense knowing that John didn’t have feelings for her. Except maybe as a little sister.

But now her being 19. Things were changing.

Currently Y/N was at the bar at the Garrison. Drinking little at a time. She knew she only got served for knowing the Shelbys.

A few hours ago she overheard John joking about her to his brothers. Arthur said that John had a little tail referring to her. John waved it of saying that was just a little school girl crush.

Y/N frowned trying to hold back her tears. She got the drinking thinking when she was drunk on how she was so stupid for having a crush on a guy who was married. She knew she had to move on from him or at least try.

Y/N kept waving the barmaid down for refills on her drinks.

The brothers left an hour ago bidding a good bye to Y/N who was drunk giggling as she said goodbye.

They didn’t even notice how drunk she was. It made her sad that they didn’t even notice. But she got over it quickly as she had another drink.

When Michael entered their bar the only people he saw were Y/N and a few drunk guys who were looking over at her. But she was to drunk to notice them.

Michael rolled his eyes at the blokes who thought that Y/N would sleep them.

He walked up to her sitting on the other bar stool. When he sat down she didn’t even notice him since Y/N’s head was buried in her arms as she was sleeping.

“She’s not gonna feel good tomorrow,” Michael muttered under his breath to make sure Y/N didn’t hear.

He put his hand on her shoulder shaking her a little to make sure he didn’t hurt her. Y/N groaned and stirred.

“Y/N sweetheart you passed out in the bar,” Michael grinned when she groaned lifted her head not wanting to get up.

“What time is it,” Y/N groggily asked looking at Michael.

“2 o’clock,” Michael cooed her as she asked again.

“My moms gonna be so pissed at me,” Y/N sleepily said getting up but almost tripping. Michael caught her before she fell.

“Okay let’s get ya home,” Michael murmured as he wrapped a hand around her waist getting her up and began walking her home.

Once they got her home Michael carried her to her room and laid her down her bed. Michael explained to Y/N’s mother that he found her at the pub and decided to take her home.

Y/N’s mother thanked Michael and they bid each other far wells. She knew that the shelbys were there that night and was slightly agitated that they didn’t take her daughter home. She was going to talk to Polly about the next morning.

The next morning Y/N got up with a huge headache and the feeling to vomit. She ran to the toilet and threw up. She knew she would get an earful from her mom about getting drunk. She only remembers a few things from last night.

What she didn’t know was that her mom was at Pollys thanking her for her son who wasn’t there.

As she washed her mouth trying to get the taste out the door bell rang.

“Wonder who that is,” Y/N muttered under her breath as she walked down the stairs towards the door.

When she opened the door she saw Michael standing there holding his cap on his hand. She know remembered he had helped take her home.

She knew who Michael was but they barely spoke unless they didn’t need to. He had been around for around 2 years they just didn’t communicate that much.

The reason Michael was there is to check up on Y/N. He was worried that she wouldn’t have a very good morning.

“Michael,” Y/N stammered feeling a bit embarrassed for the night before. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “W-what are you doing here,” She asked quietly, her shy side coming out.

“Just wanted to make sure you were ok you looked pretty drunk last night,” Michael explained rocking back on his feet.

They stood there for a few minutes feeling a bit awkward. “Oh come in,” Y/N grinned as she opened the door wider letting him walk in.

Michael sat down while you started to make tea for the both of them.

“Oh I just wanted to say thank you for last night,” Y/N stated with a smile on her face.

“No worries just didn’t want you to get taken advantage of,” Michael reassured with a smile on his face. The smile made her heart flutter which confused her since this only happened when John smile at her.

“Still it was nice of you, you could of just left me there but you didn’t,” Y/N softly replied as she sat down and put the tea in front of him and started sipping on her own.

“Well Polly would slap me over the head if I didn’t,” Michael teased with a smirk on his face. Y/N let a little giggle out. “I couldn’t ask you last night but why were you drinking that much,” Michael asked with seriousness in his voice.

“Nothing,” Y/N lied as she looked down at the table picking her nails a bad habit she’s had since she was child.

Michael knew she was lying but decided not to push it not wanting to make it awkward. Michael nodded and finished the tea she gave him.

“I think it’s time for me to leave,” Michael stood up with a cough.

“Are you sure I feel bad I haven’t done anything for you and you had to deal with me last night,” Y/N interjected feeling bad hasn’t done enough.

“You don’t have to feel bad love,” Michael soothed approaching you pressing a kiss to your forehead.

“Ok”, Y/N whispered feeling butterflies in her stomach. As he was about to walk out the door Y/N stopped him “Will I see you again.”

Michael stopped his footsteps and turned around to face her he gave her smile and nodded.

For the next few weeks Y/N had been ‘accidentally’ running into Michael. She knew she liked him. She actually had a chance with him unlike John. She didn’t hate John but the crush for him was starting to dwindle and the crush change to Michael.

On that day Michael came over she went to Polly’s, where she apologized for the brothers for not taking Y/N to her house.

Y/N reassured her and telling her that it was good that Michael got her home before something bad happened to her.

Her mom was there as well and got an earful about drinking late at night. Y/N apologize knowing her mother worried for her. She was happy she had such a caring mother.

But as the weeks went and she continued hanging out with Michael, she began dropping hints to prove that she liked him. Y/N didn’t know if he felt the same.

Michael liked Y/N before she had even had a crush on him. He wasn’t very good at getting the hints from her. Until Polly told him which he was surprised to hear.

Michael finally asked Y/N out, which she excitedly agreed to go out with a huge smile on her face. They went out to dinner and had a great time. Both of them very nervous that night.

A few weeks after they began dating she was offered a job as his secretary. Y/N doubted not wanted to get special treatment because she was dating him.

He reassured her that would happen so she accepted his request.

Now here they were with Y/N sitting on the desk and Michael standing between her legs while making out. His hand rested comfortably on her thigh massaging it.

His lips left her mouth and began to travel down her neck trying to find that sweet spot. Once his lips started kissing her collarbone she began moaning quietly.

Before they could continue the door opened to reveal the Shelby brothers.

Michael let out a groaned of frustration before looking at them. Y/N was feeling embarrassed. She never thought she would get caught making out with Michael gray.

“Michael if you’ve feel like you’ve finished we have a meeting to attend,” Thomas snapped at his cousin angry at his actions. They even haven’t saw Y/N’s face yet.

“Don’t worry Tom I’m done,” Michael sighed giving a kiss to Y/N’s forehead, a thing he had been doing for a while which she loved.

As Y/N for down from the desk and face the Shelby brothers. They were shocked they didn’t even know that they were dating.

“Sorry for keeping him,” Y/N apologized to Thomas before turning to Michael. “See you later,” She pecked his lips a goodbye before she bid everyone else and then left.

John wasnt jealous he felt over protective. A feeling he’s had with Ada. He didn’t care that she didn’t have a crush on him anymore just worried if Michael would break her heart.

“Right let’s get on this meeting,” Michael coughed out of the awkwardness. Thomas nodded and they all left the building to go to the building.

[calpalirwin]

35th Floor

Summary: You and Ashton run rival companies in the same building. 

Word count: 4.7k

And away, and away we go!

__

You checked the time on your watch as you rounded the corner, the tall building looming a mere fifty feet away. 8:45 am. Perfect. As you lifted your gaze, your lips curled into a sneer as you watched a man approaching you from the opposite street corner. His suit lay perfectly flat against his body, just tight enough to show off how well-muscled he was underneath the crisp ensemble. In one hand, he held a cell phone pressed to his ear, and even from the distance you could hear his sharp tone. “Where the blame lies is of little interest to me, unless the problem is not fixed by noon today. Because then I will become interested, and rest assured, you do not wish to see me interested. Are we at an understanding?” As the man waited for an answer, he took a sip of the iced coffee in his other hand. “Good. My office. Noon. Not a minute later.” 

He slid his phone into his jacket pocket, finally taking note of your appearance as you both walked up the steps to the building together. “Miss Y/L/N,” he greeted, a smirk on his lips as his fingers curled around one of the doors, pulling it open for you both.

“Mr. Irwin,” you responded icily, opening the other door for yourself. “I find that my employees are a lot more agreeable to do my bidding, and make less mistakes, when I don’t berate them before the work day has even begun,” you commented offhandedly as you both walked towards the elevator. 

“Bold statement from the woman who can’t let a gentleman hold the door for her,” was the quip as he hit the button to call the elevator.

“Bold of you to assume you’re a gentleman, Mr. Irwin.”

“It’s Ashton, Y/N. Surely the basic pleasantries are beyond us now.”

“I wouldn’t call what we do ‘pleasant,’ Mr. Irwin. You are barely tolerable at best, and at worst a thorn in my side.”

“And you, a thorn in mine.”

“Am I at least a sharp thorn?” you inquired with a small smirk of your own.

“The sharpest.”

“Hmm. Pity. You’re a rather dull thorn. I thought we’d at least be matched. But it is clear you hold me in much higher esteem than I hold you.”

“You wound me,” he deadpanned as the elevator finally dinged and the silver mirrored doors slid open.

“Careful not to bleed all over your suit,” you told him as you stepped onto the elevator, quickly hitting the button for your floor and the “close door” button. “The dry cleaning must cost a fortune,” you mused as the doors started to close, faster than Ashton could join you, much to his startled shock and your glee.

~~~

Thanks to leaving Ashton waiting for another elevator, you didn’t see the man again until you stepped out for lunch. “Mr. Irwin,” you flashed him a smile as you found him in the small elevator waiting area of the 35th floor where both your businesses were located.

“Miss Y/L/N,” he replied with a curt nod. “Pleasant morning?” he continued before taking a sip from the coffee in his hand.

“Very,” you answered, wondering why he was asking and just how much coffee this man drank. Come to think of it, in the four years you’ve shared the same building, you don’t think you’ve ever seen him without a coffee in hand. So how he managed to be anything beyond constantly jittery was beyond you. “And yours?”

“Not nearly as much, I’m afraid. But, I’m hopeful my afternoon will prove to be better.”

“One can only hope,” you responded with a tight-lipped smile before tapping your foot impatiently. God, this elevator sure took its sweet time.

Sighing in his own agitation, Ashton reached across your shoulder to stab his index finger into the button. And promptly spilled his coffee down the front of your blouse in the process. “My apologies,” he ushered quickly. You were too busy gasping in shock as the coffee stain caused your blouse to cling to your skin, and the ice melting in your bra to tell if it was sincere or not. But you got your answer when he clicked his tongue, his eyes roaming your heaving chest. “The dry cleaning must cost a fortune,” he mused.

You narrowed your eyes. “I’ll be sure to send you the bill.”

“Can’t wait.” He flashed you a charming smile that had dimples indenting his cheeks. And before either of you could get in another word, the elevator arrived, taking Ashton with it.

Alone, you let out a small growl of rage, stamping your foot for good measure before stalking back down to your offices. “Whoa, what happened to you?” Michael, your business partner asked, his green eyes glinting with slight amusement.

“I’ll give you two guesses,” you hissed through your teeth, moving past him into your personal office, grateful the main floor was empty with everyone off to lunch. Better for only your most trusted companion to see you in such a state.

Michael whistled low, following after you, shutting the door behind him more out of habit than necessity. “Did you really not expect him to get you back after leaving him on the ground floor this morning?”

“Yes. But in a similar fashion. Like closing the doors on me when we leave today. Not dumping his coffee on me,” you griped. You moved over to the small closet you had in your office, selecting out a new blouse, thankful Michael had had the foresight to put in a closet just for moments like this. “Seriously,” you continued, peeling off the fabric still clinging to your skin, the camisole you had underneath just sporting a wet spot that you could easily cover. “Do you think he just has one cup of coffee he just keeps drinking throughout the day? Or is it actually a new coffee every time? How has his heart not jumped out of his chest from that much caffeine?”

“Maybe it’s decaf,” Michael suggested, coughing uncomfortably and studying the floor as you dabbed at the melted ice in your cleavage.”

“Oh, relax,” you scoffed as you discarded the tissues in a small wicker wastebasket before pulling on your new blouse, and doing up the buttons. “I’m wearing an undershirt. Plus it’s nothing you haven’t seen before.”

“You’re still my boss,” he pointed out with a soft chuckle.

“Barely,” you laughed. “You're my business partner, not my employee, Mike.”

“Just your business partner? I thought what we had was special…” he pouted rolling his eyes playfully, earning another laugh from you. Michael Clifford was easily your best friend in the entire world. And if you were to have your choice of who to run a business with, you would pick him every time without hesitation. Because in addition to being your best friend, Michael was wicked smart, and had a personality that made it hard not to like the man. An important attribute that set him apart from the more cutthroat breed of businessmen. “So, what are we doing for lunch, boss lady?”

“That Italian place on Fifth?” you suggested.

“Yes!” he agreed, his mouth watering.

“Perfect. The dry cleaner's next door, so I can drop this off,” you said, gathering your things.

“You should send him the bill,” Michael told you as you walked back out of the offices. “But make them do like one of those fancy ass super cleaning of it. Like the super deluxe version at a carwash. But for your shirt. Really stick it to him.”

“I like where your mind’s at.”

Fate seemed to agree with the plan of sticking Ashton with your dry cleaning bill, as when you walked into the Italian restaurant, you found the man of the hour standing beside the pick up counter. His focus was on the phone in his hand, taking slow sips from the coffee that you were sure was just a permanent feature of his left hand, his eyebrows furrowed together, his lips a tight line of displeasure. But his head snapped to attention as he heard your voice rattle off your order, his scowl changing to a friendly look. “Y/N. Gorgeous top, love. Although I must say, I liked the other one better,” he said as he crossed over to you.

“If you love it so much, then you shouldn’t have a problem collecting it for me,” you smiled sweetly, pressing the clothing ticket in his chest.

You swallowed the bile rising in your throat as his hand curled around yours to grab at the scrap of paper. “It would be my pleasure,” he assured you, before releasing your hand.

Before you could think of a retort, one of the workers called out, “Order for Ashton.”

“That would be me,” Ashton smiled. “See you around, Y/N.”

“Okay…” Michael said after the man disappeared. “Remind me again why you hate him? Coffee incident aside. He doesn’t seem like that terrible of a guy.”

“It’s…” you started before blanking out. Why did you hate Ashton so much? After four years of holding disdain for him, it was hard to work out what had been the original offense that started the rivalry of the 35th floor. “He represents everything I hate about corporate America. He’s a male heading a company.”

“I’m a male heading a company in corporate America…” Michael pointed out. “Well… co-heading. As is Ashton. Calum Hood is as much his business partner as I’m yours.”

“Yes, but you never called me a secretary,” you remembered suddenly.

“Ashton called you a secretary?! When was this?”

You waved a hand in a dismissive fashion, not wanting to relive the memory that had crept up unwanted. “It must have been years ago. And it’s stupid for me to still be offended. It’s not like there’s anything wrong with being a secretary, mind you. You know I don’t think that way. But it was the insinuation that because I was a woman, I couldn’t possibly be interviewing for any other position.”

“Oh, shit… I always forget you interviewed with him before starting our company. But I didn’t realize that had been the reason.”

“I never got to the interview, actually. I got too mad and walked out.”

“And you never looked back,” Michael beamed proudly, trying to cheer you up.

“And I never looked back,” you agreed with a wide smile. “Best decision I ever made was storming out of his office.”

~~~

The next few days passed without incident. Whether it was just mere coincidence or divine intervention, you always managed to be just enough ahead or behind Ashton to avoid having to share an elevator without it being a confrontational power move of who could leave whom stranded and waiting.

On the eighth day of this happening, you began to wonder if Ashton was purposefully avoiding you as you always arrived and left the office at the same time day in and day out. The answer came in the form of a note on your desk after lunch. Mr. Irwin said he had a package delivered to his office that’s yours????

You poked your head out of your office, spotting your assistant at his desk. “Alejandro, did Mr. Irwin happen to mention what the package was?”

“No ma’am. Just that he wanted to know when you’d be by to pick it up. I asked if I could just stop by or if one of his associates could drop it off, but he seemed insistent that it was you who came to get it.”

You clicked your tongue in your cheek. That man… “Alright. Thank you, Alejandro.”

“Not a problem, ma’am. Oh! Also your 2:30 appointment was canceled. Thomas Fletcher. Didn’t give a reason.”

Your tongue clicked again in annoyance. Now your afternoon was completely free. A concept you didn’t like at all.

“You alright, ma’am?”

You forced a smile. “Just dandy,” you replied before taking a few quick steps to Michael’s office next door to yours. “Hey, Mike. Could I bother you for a quick sec?” you asked, rapping your knuckles against his open door before shutting it behind you.

“Course,” he said, rising from his desk chair. “What’s up? You look mad.”

“I’m gonna kill him…” you muttered darkly.

“What did Ashton do now?”

“I don’t know. But he has a ‘package’ for me,” you said, using finger quotes. “And he can’t be bothered to send an associate to send it over, nor will he accept any of mine retrieving it. He’s requesting that I come specifically. And my appointment for this afternoon magically canceled itself. They were so adamant on seeing me as soon as possible yesterday that I shifted things around to be accommodating, and then they canceled. And the name they gave too. Thomas Fletcher? Something’s not adding up. And I’ll bet it’s Ashton’s doing.”

Michael scratched at his jawline in thought. “Hmm… maybe it’s an olive branch. Inviting you over to clear the air, make a truce.”

You scoffed. “Please. What does Ashton know about making peace?”

Michael laughed. “So, you going over there?”

“God, no! If he wants me to be the recipient of whatever this package is personally, he can come here. If he thinks I’m coming to him, he’s sorely mistaken.”

“So go tell him that.”

“I will!” you stated, before retreating out of Michael’s office and back into yours. You took a brief pause to collect the anger coursing through you before picking up your phone and dialing.

“Irwin Industries, how may I direct your call?” a receptionist asked on the second ring.

“Put me through to Ashton directly, please.”

“May I ask who’s calling?”

“He’ll know.”

“Uh… yes ma’am…” was the confused reply before the line trilled again as you were connected to what you hoped was Ashton himself.

One ring. Two. Three. He was testing your patience. Four, then finally, “This is Ashton.”

“A package?” you asked, cutting straight to the chase.

“Ah, Miss Y/L/N. I was hoping this was you. My schedule is a bit cramped this afternoon, but I’m certain I can set aside a few moments for you. What time works for you?”

“You know, it’s complimentary to drop the package off at the right offices if it’s not yours. Not ask the recipient to come collect.”

“Hmm…” he mulled it over, drawing it out. “That would require more of my time… But I suppose I could manage to drop by, yes. Are you available at 2:30?”

“Funnily enough, I am actually.”

“My, that’s quite the coincidence. I’ll see you at 2:30 then.”

“Bring my package, Ashton.”

“Wouldn’t dream of coming without it, darling.”

If you could, you would have ripped your phone from its cords and thrown it right at him, but something told you that might be deemed unprofessional. You settled for a quiet scream instead. And then, you straightened your jacket and set to work. If Ashton was dropping by, you were going to make sure this was the most pristine set of offices he’d ever seen.

~~~

At 2:30 on the nose, the door to your offices opened to reveal Ashton in a black blazer over a red button up with white polka dots on it. The bright red of the shirt with the top buttons undone revealing part of his chest matched the red he had dyed his hair. You hated the perfectly slicked back red locks fit him just as much as his natural brown curls did. He had everything he could possibly want in life that it seemed to be a grave injustice that he could also pull off any hair color. God had favorites and Ashton was one of them, of that you were certain.

From your hidden-from-view vantage point (peeking through your blinds out at the main floor), you watched as Ashton talked in hushed tones to your receptionist before nodding. As he walked confidently amongst the cubicles, you rushed back to sit at your desk, trying your best to look busy. “Hello,” you heard Ashton greeted politely. “I’m here to see Miss Y/L/N. Is she in?”

“Mr. Irwin,” Alejandro gulped. “Let me see if she’s free. I’ll only be a moment,” Alejandro lied for you, and you smiled proudly. There was a reason you’d chosen him for your assistant. There was a knock on your door before it opened to reveal Alejandro. “Miss, a Mr. Irwin is here to see you.”

“Send him in, thank you,” you nodded, rising from your chair and smoothing out your skirt, your hands feeling clammy.

“Of course, miss. Mr. Irwin, she can see you now.”

Alejandro got replaced by Ashton filling your doorway and what appeared to be a dry cleaning garment bag he held over his shoulder by the crook of his index finger. “Miss Y/L/N,” Ashton said, stepping forward to offer you the bag. “I believe this is yours.”

“Oh!” you said in surprise, a wave of shame washing over you. Maybe Michael had been right after all… You came out from behind your desk to shut your office door. “Thank you,” you added as you then took the bag from him, and sure enough, your blouse from last week was there. You moved about the room again to place your blouse on the surface of your desk before turning around to return your attention to Ashton who had taken up residence squarely between the two chairs you had set up before your desk. A standing meeting. How pleasant… Hopefully that meant this would be quick.

“Of course. And again, my sincerest apologies. It actually was an accident. And since I’m apologizing, I might as well apologize for your meeting getting canceled this afternoon. That may or may not have been my doing. Rest assured, it was a joke appointment. Lovely office by the way. I remember what it used to look like before you got here. Was a dump. And you made it… not that way.”

“I thought the name Thomas Fletcher was familiar,” you admitted with a sly smile. “And thank you, again. Both for the blouse and the compliment.”

“Of course. I, uh… Forgive me for asking, but have I done something to offend you? Either now or in the past?”

“Do you seriously not remember?” you questioned, swallowing the hypocrisy that was you having forgotten yourself until only last week. But the memory had resurfaced, and with it your red hot anger on the matter.

“No, I don’t believe I do…”

“You called me a secretary!” you hissed.

~~~

You smoothed down the front of your skirt, taking a deep breath to calm your nerves before pushing open the door to the offices. Telephones rang and people typed away at keyboards. You could see a row of private offices, and a large conference room behind the layout maze of cubicles. But your first focus was the wide wooden desk marked “Reception” with the words “Irwin Industries” on the wall behind the desk in a golden calligraphy script. You had the sinking feeling of being underqualified for the job you were interviewing for, but quickly shook away that feeling. If Ashton Irwin himself had chosen you to interview with out of countless other candidates, there had to be a reason. “Hello,” you smiled at the receptionist. “I’m here for an interview. Y/N Y/L/N.”

The receptionist barely looked at you as they typed in the information. “Yes, he’ll be out shortly.”

“Thank you,” you said, still smiling. Maybe they were just busy. No telling how many interviews they had to keep track of. Curt professionalism over amiable politeness. A willing sacrifice you yourself were just as guilty of every now and then.

The sound of shoes purposefully towards you had you glancing your head towards the sound. The man was uncuffing the sleeves of his white button down, rolling them up his strong forearms. A stubborn curl of brown lay flat across his forehead, and when he raised a finger to push it back with the rest, it fell right back into place. “You must be here for the secretary position. I’m Ashton, I’ll be conducting your interview this morning. If you’ll follow me,” he said, not even bothering to come to a full stop as he started turning around to walk back the way he’d just come from.

“I-” you started, anger coursing through your entire body, warming you from head to toe. A secretary?! Surely if he had the gall to schedule and conduct the interviews himself, he had the character to keep them straight. And the assumption that you were here to interview for the secretary position based on what?! That you were a woman?! Ashton Irwin, you decided in that moment, was everything wrong with corporate America. Which perhaps was too bold a statement for him to bear the weight of alone, but perhaps it was his fault for not checking his callousness at the door. You cleared your throat, not following after him. When he turned, arching an eyebrow in silent question, you shook your head. “I’m afraid there’s been a mistake, Mr. Irwin. I- Apologies for wasting your time. Best of luck to the other candidates.”

As you made your exit, you caught sight of a sign on the offices across the hallway from Irwin Industries that read “For Lease” in big red letters. Pulling out your phone, you quickly dialed your closest friend. “Hey, Y/N!” Michael chirped, “How’d the interview go?!”

“Were you serious about starting a business with me?”

“That bad, huh?”

~~~

“I-” Ashton stammered, the memory as fresh in his mind now as it was yours. “I hadn’t meant it in a rude way,” he went to amend.

“No, you meant it in an assuming way,” you corrected. “Which is far worse. Do you know how many men I’ve dealt with who made that same assumption in the course of my career? Or the fact that I sign all my emails with my partner’s signature along with it so I don’t have to waste precious time proving my worth before I land a client? I have to make sure my credentials look far more impressive than the ones hanging on your wall, because I have to work twice as hard to prove myself to you and everyone else to even attempt at leveling the playing field! And the fact that you, or any man, would dare assume-”

“I didn’t assume,” Ashton cut you off. “I made a mistake. One that I didn’t realize until you had already left. One I didn’t get the chance to apologize for because y- because I found it difficult to find a way to contact you. Until you moved in across the hall a few weeks later, and by then I figured it was too little too late. And that is where I made mistake number two, apparently.”

You blinked, your attack stuck in your throat at his interruption and subsequent confession. “I- Sorry?”

He rolled his eyes as he gave a soft chuckle. “I made a mistake, Y/N. That morning… I had a million other things on my mind, and had been interviewing actual secretaries all morning. And I didn’t realize my error until I looked at your file in my office. Your credentials and resume had impressed me beyond anything I’d ever seen, and honestly the interview was just meant to be a formality because I had already made up my mind about offering you the job. But in my rush, I clumped you in a category that was well beneath your skill set. And believe me, that is a reflection of a frazzled brain, and not my actual opinion of women.”

“I’ve held a grudge against you for four year because of an oversight?” you questioned out loud. This had to be a dream. A very bad, terrible dream. How much time had you wasted hating a man who turned out to not be deserving of your hatred at all?

He giggled, a boyish sound that shocked you. “It would appear so, yes. But, I suppose that’s on me for not clearing the air sooner. Although,” he said, his voice taking on a low rasp that sent good shivers down your spine. “Perhaps it’s for the best that things worked out the way they did. Otherwise we would have run the risk of becoming HR’s worst nightmare.”

You gulped, taking a stumbling step backwards, your hand landing hard on the top of your desk to steady yourself. “Y-you do?” you gasped.

“Mhm,” he said, taking a step forward, his hand landing on top of yours, engulfing it entirely. “I’ve always held a deep admiration for women in positions of power. Much respect, too.” The words were hot on your neck as they filtered in your ears slowly.

You let out a small moan without meaning to, as your eyes fluttered shut. “Well,” you answered airly, your breathing growing heavy. “I’d be happy to reconsider my own opinion of you. If you don’t have other engagements, that is.”

“Hmm, I’d have to check my calendar…” he teased.

“Mmm, yes of course. And I, mine.”

“Hmm…” He peered over your shoulder at the calendar that was upside down at his angle. “Would you look at that,” he marveled before his hands were hot on your hips as he lifted you to sit on the desk, sending your sparse decor-- a placard with your name engraved on it, a steel cup filled with pens, your freshly returned blouse, and the aforementioned desk calendar-- skittering across the desk. “My afternoon just cleared up.”

“Mine did too,” you answered, hooking your finger down the front of his shirt to pull him closer to you, but you only ended up undoing more buttons. But it didn’t matter. Ashton got the memo as his lips crashed into yours, hot and needy.

~~~

Two Years Later

You checked the time on your watch as you rounded the corner, the tall building looming a mere fifty feet away. 8:45 am. Perfect. As you lifted your gaze, your lips curled into a smile as you watched a man walking towards you from the other street corner. His suit lay perfectly flat against his body, just tight enough to show off how well-muscled he was underneath the crisp ensemble. In one hand, he held a cell phone pressed to his ear, and even from the distance you could hear his sharp tone. “How many times do we need to go over this? I am unreachable between 2:30 and 3:15. I have an appointment at that time at which I am not to be disturbed from.” As the man waited for an answer, he managed to take a sip from one of the iced coffees he held balanced on a take out tray in his other hand. “No, Miss Y/L/N is not to be bothered during that time either. Find another associate to schedule them with-- perhaps Mr. Clifford, or Mr. Hood-- or tell the client they need to make themselves available at a different time of day. Thank you.”

He slid his phone into his jacket pocket, finally taking note of your appearance as you both walked up the steps to the building together. “Miss Y/L/N,” he greeted, a smirk on his lips as his fingers curled around one of the doors, pulling it open for you both.

“Mr. Irwin,” you smiled back, plucking the other iced coffee from the tray and taking a deep sip. “I find that my employees are a lot more agreeable to do my bidding, and make less mistakes, when I don’t berate them before the work day has even begun,” you commented offhandedly as you both walked towards the elevator.

“Now, pray tell, where have I heard that one before?” he pondered aloud with a bemused look as he hit the button to call the elevator.

“Probably from the smartest woman to ever grace you with her presence.”

“Yes, that must be it,” he agreed as the elevator dinged and the silver mirrored doors opened. “After you,” he gestured, sticking out his arm to hold the doors open. “But, please, don’t leave me behind this time.”

With a giggle, you wrapped your fingers around the knot of his tie, pulling you into the elevator with you, and kissed him the whole ride up to the combined offices of Irwin Y/L/N Corporate on the 35th floor.

__

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[fan-girling-101]

Pogue Halloween

Pogues x Reader x Kooks, Rafe x Reader

Summary: You’re dared to spend the night in a serial killer’s childhood home with your best friends and your worst enemies. But what happens when that serial killer comes back home?

Word Count: 3.8k

Warnings: references to Halloween franchise (mentions of killing, Michael Myers), typical horror movie suspense stuff, slight language?, lots of fear, Rafe lowkey being a sweetheart.

Thank you @thisismynerdyself​ who let me use her story. It’s going to be a multi chapter story but the first chapter is basically hers with just some small things. Please go check her out and read the original. And thank you for letting me use it. I hope it’s good enough. Also not going to lie about it I never watched Michael Myers Halloween movie thing.

Original here

Her Tumblr

Part two 

“Okay, guys. Who’s going in first?” JJ looked around the group, challenging each one of you to make the first move.

None of you were particularly eager to enter the infamous serial killer’s childhood home, but you couldn’t back down from a challenge. So here you all are, face to face with the nightmarish home of Michael Myers. Windows had been boarded up years ago, the door was barely still attached. The ivy creeping up the walls all but covered the aged brick exterior. Yep, this was a horror house alright.

Pope took one step backward, holding his hands up in defense, refusing to be the first one in. You, Kiara, and Sarah looked at each other in solidarity, agreeing that none of you would be first. That left John B and JJ to fight it out.

Whether it was lucky or unlucky for them, they didn’t have to decide themselves. Just as they began to debate about it, you heard a chuckle from behind you. You all whipped around, already slightly on edge just from being on the property. Your entire group groaned in unity at the sight of Topper, Rafe, and Kelce striding toward you on the sidewalk.

“What are they doing here?” Kie whispered to you. You shrugged your shoulders, unable to answer her question.

“Look what we have here. Six little Pogues trying to act all tough. Too bad none of you can actually handle a night in that house”, Rafe sneered at you as he invaded the personal space of your group.

John B stepped forward to face his foe, “And you think you can?”

Rafe puffed out his chest even more than usual and replied “you bet I can.”

“How about we just put this to the test. We all go in. We see who lasts the longest. Pogues or Kooks. Last one out wins. Losers serve the winners poolside, the indoor pool- with a hot tub, of course, for one whole day,” JJ boldly challenged the three boys.

“Deal.”

*

You let Rafe go in first since he claimed to be so brave. Kelce and Topper followed after him, but neither of them looked comfortable with the arrangement. JJ, Pope, Kie, John B, and Sarah each filed into the main foyer of the dilapidated building. You came in last, closing the creaking door behind you. You made sure to keep it unlocked for whoever would leave first.

You all gathered together, formally declaring the beginning of the night. What had you all gotten yourselves into?

You decided to split into smaller groups to start out, making exploring the house a bit easier. Rafe, Topper, and Kelce decided to start upstairs, looking around the bedrooms. And oh how creepy it was to find that there were still neatly folded robes in the closet after all these years. To find the dusty vanity in Michael Myers’ sister’s room, old fingerprints still smudging the mirror.

Topper decided to venture out on his own, looking in the bathroom where Michael once killed his own mother while drawing his bath. The stains on the counter stood out beneath the dust. It was enough to make anyone’s skin crawl. He wasn’t too keen on being alone, but he knew Rafe enough to know that he would make this slightly scary night even worse with his inevitable shenanigans.

Everyone was moving around slowly, realizing it could be a long night, and not wanting to get bored too quickly.

Downstairs, JJ, Pope, and Kie stayed on the main floor, venturing through the kitchen, the dining room, and the living room. All the furniture had inch-think dust coatings and smelled like mildew and mothballs. Not a pleasant place to be staying for long. The kitchen was the eeriest room on this floor, all three of them finding utensils in the drawer that could easily be used as weapons.

As they made their way back toward the foyer, Pope froze in place as he thought he heard a noise from the stairs. As he looked up, he saw someone jumping down toward him, over the stairway railing. As the person landed with a thump, Pope backpedaled and collapsed against the wall, an involuntary yelp escaping his lips. The maniacal laughter emanating from the new occupant of the room sent Pope into a rage as he punched Rafe in the arm.

“Hey, we’re not messing with you guys, so leave us alone. I doubt Michael likes it when people pretend to be him”, Pope spat out at the boy in front of him. He already didn’t want to be there, so the cruel jokes would only make him more agitated.

Rafe feigned a guilty look and retreated back upstairs, but not before calling back, “it’s every man for himself in this game, Popey.”

You, Sarah, and John B decided to check out the basement. Not your wisest move in the world, but you would argue that none of you were being smart just by being in that house. You were immediately creeped out by the colder air and the musty odor.

You turned on your flashlight, eager to wash away the darkness. As you made your way through the room, you spotted the bottom of the garbage chute and opened the door, jumping back when a dead rodent dropped at your feet. You decided to stick closer to the other two for a bit longer. You all wound your way around boxes and turned corners until you came upon a dead end. 

You took turns opening some of the boxes to find old moth-eaten clothes, file folders and other clutter. But among the stacks and stacks of storage containers, you managed to pull out an old shoebox full of photos. Passing them around, you were able to deduce that the box contained photos of Michael’s family, including some from the night he turned on them. Donning his halloween clown costume, Michael stood outside this very house, holding the very weapon he had used to kill his family. 

From what you knew of the legend of the man, only his sister survived the tragic night, and she was whisked away into protection while he was taken into custody and held in various hospitals for years until his eventual escape.

Brought back to reality from your thoughts about what the murderer had done, you notice that behind a stack of boxes is a large hole in the wall. Against your best judgment, the three of you work together to reveal the hole, discovering a passageway behind it. By shining your flashlights through, it seemed as though there was a tunnel underneath the house. Definitely not something typical houses would have, but very fitting for a serial killer.

You glance between each other, wondering what to do. You aren’t usually one to back down from an adventure, so you take a step through the hole and into the tunnel. None of you dare to say a single word as you realize you’re deep beneath the house now, unsure of what could possibly lie ahead. Using your flashlights to light the way, you traverse the dingy tunnel cautiously. But you stop when the path is blocked by a floor-to-ceiling metal gate. The lock looks old, so John B easily kicks it apart and the gate swings open.

Once through the gate - you wonder why the gate was there in the first place - you find yourselves at the bottom of a sketchy metal ladder. Sarah steps up first, eager to get out of the too-tight tunnel. She reaches the top and you follow after her. John B brings up the rear.

You can see faint moonlight shining through a window in a nearby door. Huddled together as if your lives depended on it, you and Sarah approached the door, looking out into the yard of the house you were just in. Sudden realization dawned as Sarah whispers, “I think we’re in the shed.”

*

So far, none of you felt too overwhelmed by the house other than the overarching sense of creepiness. Were you excited to still be there, no. But so far nothing too terrible had happened.

Topper had wandered his way downstairs and into the living room, hoping to find a safe place to wait out the night. He found an old armchair in the corner of the room, attempted to dust it off as best as possible, and exasperatedly sat down. He didn’t even want to come here, but somehow Rafe had always roped him into things. He was tired and, if he was honest, he was already getting scared. 

JJ, Kie, and Pope were headed into the basement, although none of them were keen on the idea. Pope got to the last step, took one look around, felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, and hightailed it out of there. He had had enough. When he got upstairs, he spotted Topper in the armchair nearby. Topper, realizing that Pope looked like he was ready to go, stood up and said “if you’re leaving, I’m out too.” The two boys quickly made their way out the front door, not even noticing that the door that was once closed was already hanging wide open for them.

Kie and JJ rolled their eyes at their friend’s hasty exit and walked through the basement. Much worse than the main level, she already felt more uneasy. As they perused the cluttered room, they paused when they thought they heard heavy breathing coming from the back corner. Kie stepped behind JJ, choosing him to be the sacrifice.

As JJ stepped closer to the noise, he heard a low chuckle that erupted into a full blown laugh as John B stepped out of the shadows. “Dude, you should see the look on your face!”

JJ punched him in the arm, complaining “not cool John B. What are you trying to do, make Michael Myers come out here and prove to you that he’s real?”

John B simply rolled his eyes and pushed his way past his friend, heading upstairs to find the others. You came in through the front door right as he made it to the top of the stairs. “John B, I hate to say it, but Sarah decided to bow out. She saw Pope and Topper run out and figured she could make her exit then too. They went to wait in the van.”

“Did I hear you say you lost two already?” You hear Kelce’s voice emerge from behind you.

“Yeah, but from what I understand, you may have lost one of your own, Kelce. I don’t see Top anywhere” Kie replied as she glided into the room from the basement door.

JJ followed soon after, passing right through the room, headed to the stairs to take him to the second floor. “Alright you wusses, let’s break up this party. Nothing scary happens when everyone’s together”, JJ called out on his way through.

You laughed and followed him up the stairs, figuring his tough guy attitude might be your best shot at surviving the night. “Okay, J, where do we explore first?”

*

Meanwhile, Rafe and Kelce confidently strode down the basement steps, ready to take on any frightening scene that might unfold before them. As they crept through the basement, they took turns making creepy noises at each other, resulting in a laughing fit. Partly from their own antics and partly because of the three teens who had already bailed on the night.

And it was all fun and games until the basement door slammed shut, sending them into complete and utter darkness. Figuring it was just the fools upstairs, Kelce yelled up, “ooooh, I’m so scared” with a laugh just to stir them up.

But his laugh died as his eyes grew wide at the dark shadow, too large to be any of the others, slowly descending the stairs. The deep thud of the tantalizingly slow footsteps stopped when the shadow reached the bottom. When it turned toward them, they saw the masked face of the man and practically ran each other over in an attempt to find an escape route.

They tumbled their way to the back corner of the room where you, Sarah, and John B had uncovered the hole in the wall, and they practically threw themselves through the hole and into the passageway, no thought to what could be in store for them. Down the tunnel they took off, only turning around enough to know that the tall, muscular form was still following them.

Rafe was the first to reach the large gate in the tunnel, but it had been wired shut, blocking their way. Taking the time to unwrap the wire meant the mysterious pursuer was approaching closer and closer.

“Dude, hurry the hell up, man!”

“I’m going as fast as I can!” voices shakily yelling out in the darkness.

 And just as the slow-moving man approached and raised his arm in attack, Kelce wrenched the gate open and they launched their way through and up a precarious ladder.

Kelce was first to the top, where he didn’t look back as he took off out the shed door and down the street to find the others. Panting, he knocked on the window of the old van. Topper unlocked the door and let in his friend, confused by the look of pure horror on his face. Kelce was speechless as he climbed in the back and sat frozen in his seat, not even coherent enough to realize Rafe hadn’t emerged behind him.

*

Meanwhile, on the main floor, Kie and John B heard the sudden commotion from the basement, recognizing the frantic noises that reminded them of a scene straight from a horror movie. And when the noises faded, John B realized they must have run back into the tunnel they had found earlier. He knew they would find their way out eventually since he had left the gate open down there. But when he turned to find the basement door had closed, knowing that neither of them had done it, he looked at Kie, who looked back with eyes as wide as they could go.

They cautiously walked into the kitchen to look out the window toward the shed and saw Kelce, alone, running for his life, a look of absolute terror on his face. That was their cue to leave, so they turned and ran out the front door, not even turning around to see the tall, masked man standing in the doorway behind them.

*

As you and JJ slowly made your way through the upstairs bedrooms, just glancing at the old furniture left behind to rot, you thought you heard thumping from below. Everyone was on edge tonight, so you assumed your mind was playing tricks on you. Then you heard a door slam downstairs, causing you and JJ to look at each other and smile. JJ couldn’t help but say “sounds like someone else just made us one step closer to winning this thing.”

While the thought of winning was pretty sweet, you knew that the people left in the house wouldn’t be easy to scare, so anything that caused them to run would have been seriously frightening.

You continued into the very back room, furthest from the main stairwell. The room was empty except for a few scattered boxes. Making your way toward the side wall, you found a door that was a bit different from the rest in the house. JJ was able to wrench the door open and you found yourselves staring up into the narrow attic stairwell.

You looked at each other, silently wondering if this was a good idea. JJ decided for you as he took the first step up and you hesitantly followed him. You were about to comment on the smell as you ascended the stairs, but your breath caught in your throat as you took in your surroundings.

You and JJ found yourselves in a vast attic space. You were surrounded by coffins. The coffins Michael Myers had used for some of his victims. This was his storage space. The ones you could get to were, thankfully, all empty. You even found one for a child, sick to your stomach just thinking of the poor soul it had been for. The acrid stench of death was seeping through your already plugged nose, but you were unable to block it out. Your quickened heartbeat was probably audible to JJ as he stood frozen in place as he connected the dots just as you had.

Without a word communicated between the two of you, JJ had grabbed your hand and pulled you down the stairs and toward the main stairwell. But you both skidded to a stop at the sight in front of you. The stairwell was blocked. By a tall man in a black jumpsuit and a horrifying white mask.

“SHIT!” JJ yelled as he pulled you into the nearby bedroom. After moving a small vanity in front of the door, you ran toward the window on the other side of the room. You both tried to pry open the window but it wouldn’t move. “SHIT!” 

As he got closer you tried to look for something to defend yourself with. Your eyes finally land on a wooden plank that was used to board up windows. You lounge to grab it, swinging it in the direction of the man.

The two of you don’t waste a second sprinting out of the room as fast as you could. JJ made it to the stairs first running down with you in behind. As you make it to the last couples steps you miss one tumbling down the rest of the way.

“Come on Y/N!” JJ yelled at you, but when you got up you didn’t see the way the blond ran so you chose a door running through it. Of course you had the pick the wrong way into the kitchen with a back door that won’t open.

*

JJ makes it out running into Rafe on the way to the van. They get inside after sprinting from the house, not yet realising they were missing a certain Y/H/C headed girl. 

“JJ where is Y/N?” Kie tries to calmly ask before freaking out that one of there best friends is still in the creepy house with a murderer. At this point they all look out the van for the girl.

“She was following me out. I don’t- she tripped… she probably is still in there. Oh God.” He stutters out thinking that the person he was closest with in the world was stuck in a house with a crazing killer.

Before anyone could react or do anything Rafe got out of the van with JJ’s gun in hand. He quickly starts his way back to the house hoping to get there before you're dead.

*

The tall man in front of your small frame grabbed your shoulders slamming you back into the marble counters. You let out a cry of pain, the pain spreading through your body. “Please.” You whimper. “Stop.” He lets out a creepy laugh watching the struggle. He brings up the knife running it down your side drawing blood while cutting the country artist shirt I was wearing. He brings it up going in for the kill before a gunshot rings out. The tight grip he has on you falls making you fall to the ground, as it was the only thing holding you up.

You feel a hand on your arm causing you to flinch before looking up to the blue eyes of Rafe Cameron. His hand slips under your knees effortlessly picking you up from the ground as if you weighed nothing. Your arms wrap around his neck hiding your face in his chest.

He carries you out and in the van. No one says anything before starting up the van. The quiet hum of the engine couldn't be heard over your sobs. A cloth was pressed to the bleeding on your side causing you to let out a loud cry. No one knew what to say as you buried your head closer into Rafe’s chest.

John B starts dropping people off at their houses. Starting at Kelce’s then Kie’s, to Topper’s before pulling up at the Cameron residence. You already all knew Sarah was going to stay at John B’s. Rafe tried to move you off him but you wouldn’t let him. Your arms around his neck tightening. 

“I have to go.” He whispered into your ear. All the pogues left in the van watched the encounter between the two of you. Never had they seen Rafe be so nice to someone, so caring. Not even Sarah.

“Take me with you.” You cry into his shoulder. “Y/N.” He goes to say be cut off by a soft “please” making him give in. He picked you up again listening to the chorus of goodbyes you got.

He lightly set you down on his bed leaving for a second coming back with stuff to clean your wound with. He sits beside the bed on the floor grabbing the hem of your shirt looking up at you. “Can I?” You nod helping him get your favorite shirt off that was covered in blood. He must have seen the look of sadness you had as you watched him place the shirt on the floor.

“I can get the blood out but you can probably sew it or it might look cool with the rip but I don’t know.”  His hand grabs one of yours putting a cloth soaked with something, cleaning the cut. You tried to hold in the sound squeezing his hand. “It’s not too bad we just gotta keep it clean. Anything else hurt.”

“My back.” You flip on the stomach letting him see where you got slammed into a counter. 

“That’s going to be on nasty bruise Pumpkin, I grab some ice. And here change into this.” He sets some of his clothes on the bed for you to wear. You jump out of the bed grabbing his wrist pulling him to face you.

“Please don’t leave me alone.” The look you were giving the older kook boy made him give in quickly. The two of you walk down the kitchen happy that Ward, Rose and Weezie were asleep somewhere in the house. As Rafe grabs the ice you look through the cupboards looking for something to eat. Finally finding some oreos the two of you head back into his room.

You change and lay on the stomach on the bed Rafe getting in beside you resting some ice on your lower back.

“Thank you.” I move my head to face the boy who was already staring at me. “For everything.”

“Of course Pumpkin. Get some sleep okay.”

[kindahoping4forever]

Stayin’ Mad All Day So We Can Let It Out Tonight // Ashton Irwin

This is a prompt request I was especially excited to fill because it was from my pal @ashtonangst​ who sent Cass this very specific non-specific request:

So hopefully Allison (and everyone else) enjoys the selection of prompts I curated 😈 (And as always, @cal-puddies​​ gets my eternal thanks for being a tireless cheerleader 🦦🦦)

Prompts: “You better shut that pretty little mouth before I put it to work, doll.” and "Leave the heels on, baby. Just the heels, though.” and “I wasn’t expecting it to be… THAT big.“

Warnings: Boyfriend!Ash (but different, I promise! 🤡), a non-angsty lovers’ quarrel and make-up sex (including brief oral sex) at a party by way of some brief, lighthearted roleplay because why not

Word Count: 2,424

Cass & Crystal’s Collab Masterlist

Let  us  know  what  you  think!

————-

A lot could be said about your relationship with Ashton but it could never be called boring. Even though you’d been together for a while, you never worried about becoming uninterested or losing the spark between you. 

So it came as a surprise when you got home from the salon after deciding on impulse to change up your hair, opting for a new cut and color, and Ash’s reaction was an excited “Finally, someone new in my bed after all this time!”

You make a face and playfully toss the nearest couch pillow at him. “Didn’t realize you were that bored of me, you ass.” He giggles and swats at you as he gets up to leave the room.

You weren’t hurt by his comment; you knew he didn’t mean anything by it. You don’t think about it again until you’re putting the final touches on your look before heading out to a party at Michael’s new place.

Ash comes up behind you and wraps his arms around your waist and nuzzles your neck. “Quick! Kiss me before my girlfriend gets back!”

You roll your eyes and wriggle out of his hold. “You know if I were a more insecure person, I’d be getting real in my head right about now since you keep getting excited about me not looking like me.”

He frowns and pulls you back into his embrace. “You know I’m just teasing, baby,” he insists, emphatically kissing along your neck and shoulders. “Honestly, this new You is so smokin hot, I wouldn't know what to do if we were meeting for the first time.”

As one might expect, your makeover is a hot topic once you arrive at the party. You graciously field the compliments that come your way, one of Crystal’s friends asks for your stylist’s info and both Luke and Michael crack jokes about “the new girl on Ash’s arm.”

When Calum arrives a bit later, he spots you both chatting outside and comes over to greet you. “Ash, I keep telling you I don’t want you to set me up but I don’t think I can resist this one,” he jokes, slinging an arm around your shoulders. You grin and make a show of snuggling into him.

Ash shakes his head and plays along. “Sorry buddy, I’ve upgraded and I'm keeping this smokeshow for myself,” he replies, pulling you to his side. Cal chuckles and moves along to greet the other partygoers.

Unsurprisingly, Ashton is too busy laughing at his own joke to notice the scowl on your face. He tries to pull you in for a kiss but you turn your face away just before his lips meet yours.

“The fuck?” He laughs, trying and failing to kiss you again.

“I’m sorry, I thought you liked having a new girl around and this smokeshow doesn’t kiss strange men she doesn’t know,” you shrug.

He scoffs, “Baby, I was kidding! Don’t be like that.” He pouts and reaches for you, only for you to swat his hands away.

“Seems like I could have the pick of the litter here, mister,” you gesture to the party. “Think you’re gonna have to try harder than that to woo me.” You sip your drink and walk away leaving your boyfriend stunned.

You feel Ashton’s eyes staring you down as you ignore him and mingle with the other guests for a bit. He texts some increasingly agitated emojis, a few half-apologies and then finally, after about an hour, you get a text reading: “Hey beautiful, heard you ditched your jerk boyfriend.” 

You smile in spite of yourself and take a second to mull over your reply. “He had his moments but it had to be done.”

“Need some help getting over him?” lights up your screen seconds later.

You bite your lip, trying to decide if you’re ready to forgive Ash. “A bit forward there, stranger. What’s in it for me?”

You crane your neck, trying to see if you can spot him in the crowd but he’s nowhere to be found. Your phone buzzes again and you laugh out loud at the sight of several tongue, eggplant and dripping emojis. Before you get the chance to respond, another message comes through: “Meet me in the back bedroom in 5 minutes.”

As you wait for those agonizingly long five minutes to pass, you can’t help the excitement you feel surging through your body. You and Ash definitely knew how to get on each other’s nerves but you were both always sure to make nice - real nice- before things got too out of hand. 

You tap your fingers lightly on the back bedroom door before opening it slowly to see Ashton’s broad silhouette standing in the darkness by the window. He turns at the noise of the door locking and you shake your head as you notice his shirt is significantly more unbuttoned than the last time you saw him, undoubtedly a ploy to make you forget you were ever angry at him. 

“Hey gorgeous, wasn’t sure if you were gonna show,” he greets you.

You gesture to your phone, “Poetry like ‘eggplant eggplant eggplant,’ how could I resist?” You walk over and decide to rile him a bit. “My boyfriend used to write me songs but he’s not a wordsmith like you are.” You giggle at his dissatisfied face. 

“Well, clearly you were the best thing he had going for him,” he brushes your hair behind your ear and you lean into his touch. 

“Clearly,” you breathe as he leans in to kiss you. You murmur against his lips, not realizing how much you’d missed his affection after being irritated with him all day. You deepen the kiss, letting your tongue explore his while your hands run over his exposed chest and make quick work of the few buttons actually fastened on his shirt. 

He pulls away and teases, “Now who’s being forward?”

You press your lips to his neck rather than respond, resulting in a soft groan from him. He walks you back to the bed but as the back of your knees hit the mattress, you hesitate. “Isn’t it kind of weird and gross to fuck in someone else’s bed?”

Ash spins you around and ruts against you, allowing you to feel his hardening cock against your backside as his hands roam freely across your tits. “Good thing I plan on fucking you bent over it then.” He smacks your ass and moves to sit on the bed in front of you. “Strip,” he says plainly.

“I dunno how quickies work where you’re from, stranger, but around here --- ” you sarcastically begin before he cuts you off by grabbing your arm and pulling you over to him.

“Always got a comment for everything, don’t you?” He yanks at your dress, working it up, over and off your body. “Boyfriend must’ve put up with a lot of lip. But I think you better shut that pretty little mouth before I put it to work, doll.” He runs his hand over your face and dips his thumb in your mouth for emphasis. You look him straight in the eyes as you close your lips around it, sucking lightly and swirling your tongue around before he pulls it out. “Good girl,” he praises and you practically purr.

Standing in your underwear and shoes, you feel sexy but impractical so you start to lift your leg to unbuckle your strappy stiletto but Ash bats your hand away. “Leave the heels on, baby. Just the heels, though.” 

He hooks his fingers in the lace of your panties, briefly ghosting over the visible wet spot and then yanking them down and helping you step out of them. You’ve barely unhooked your bra before he’s snatching it off your body and pulling you closer so he can take a nipple into his mouth. You run your hands through his hair and let him briefly attend to the other side until you pull him off and drop to your knees.

“Thought you were gonna put my pretty little mouth to work, stranger,” you tease, rubbing your hands up and down his thighs, moving between them to start working the button and zipper of his black jeans.

He stills your hands and you look up inquisitively. “As much as I love a good roleplay, if I apologize, can we cut the act and you can just be my girlfriend that I’m about to fuck at our friends’ party?” 

You raise your eyebrows expectantly, waiting for your promised apology.

“I’m sorry… I’m an ass… I love you?” He takes your hands from his lap and raises them to his mouth, giving them light kisses to punctuate each statement. 

You sit all the way up on your knees and kiss him gently. “Like I said, Stranger You definitely had more of a way with words,” you joke. He laughs against your mouth as you kiss him again. You resume unfastening his pants and pull his cock out, stroking him slowly. 

You lean back on your heels and let out an exaggerated gasp when you return to eye level with his crotch.  “OH… I… I wasn’t expecting it to be… THAT big. So much bigger than my boyfriend ---“

Ashton rolls his eyes and gives you A Look.

“I’m sorry,” you giggle. “I couldn’t resist. Annnnnd scene.”

He shakes his head, “You’re fucking ridiculous.”

“That’s why we get along so well, babe.” You kitten lick the head of his cock and he shudders. “And don’t act like you didn’t appreciate the compliment.” You ease him in to your mouth and begin bobbing your head before he gets a chance to respond.

You hear him taking several deep breaths as you work your mouth up and down his shaft, his hands tangling in your hair. You start to take him down your throat but he’s pulling you back off of him before you get very far.

“I’m supposed to be apologizing to you, gorgeous,” he chuckles, helping you up off your knees and dropping down to his in one swift motion. Before you’ve registered what’s happening, he’s draped one of your legs over his shoulder and he’s groaning with his head buried in between your thighs.

“Jesus, Ash,” you gasp as he eagerly mouths at your clit. He works his tongue over you expertly and though he has steadying hands on you, he eventually notices your knee starting to buckle from both pleasure and the strain of balancing on one stilettoed foot. He carefully backs you up against the bedroom’s dresser and returns to his task.

“You could’ve just sat me on the bed,” you comment breathily, raking your hands through his hair and shifting to roll your hips against his tongue. 

He lets out a moan as your movement causes your spiky heel to scrape down his back. “Me eating you out while you’re naked in heels, pressed up against a wardrobe, while a party rages on outside the door is much hotter than me eating you out on a bed and you know it,” he nips at your inner thigh.

“Fair point,” you murmur, your head lolling back as he tongues at your opening. “Ash ---” you start and stop, your thoughts having left your mind as soon as you felt him flick over your clit again.

“Come on, baby, cum on my tongue and then I’ll really make up for tonight,” he promises, ramping up his efforts. You groan at his words and feel yourself falling over the edge moments later. He holds your hips and stays lapping at you until your noises fall silent and he feels your body relax. 

You’re slumped against the dresser, trying to catch your breath while Ash kisses his way back up your body: over your stomach, between your breasts and up your neck. He presses his lips to yours and you moan into his mouth when you taste yourself on his tongue. 

“Think I’m still mad at you,” you flirt, smoothing down his hair that’s gone wild from you tugging on it. 

“Guess I’ll just have to try harder then,” he smirks, gesturing towards the bed. He reaches for your hand but you walk over on your own and assume the position you know you both have been thinking about since you came into this room: you, bent over, legs spread and hands bracing yourself against the bed. 

He can’t help but apply pressure to his cock as he takes in the sight of you, wiggling your ass for him, wearing only a mischievous smile and those goddamn heels he made you leave on.  He delivers a firm slap to each of your ass cheeks and then he’s teasing the tip of his cock through your wetness and gliding himself in. 

He quickly picks up a rhythm that has you arching your back and groaning deeply. “Feels so good, Ash,” you pant. “Missed you while I was mad.”

Your sweet admission has Ash smiling to himself. “I really am sorry, baby...” He clearly loses his train of thought as you start to move your hips along with his thrusts, already hungry for your release. “Fuck… so good for me even when I don’t deserve it,” he encourages.

You sigh at his praise and he continues to pump into you; he adjusts his angle slightly and the whine that leaves your throat tells him it was an excellent decision. He speeds up his movements and you prop yourself up on one elbow so you can slip your hand between your legs and rub your clit. "Need... oh fuck… need to cum, Ash," you murmur.

He tightens his grasp on your hips and thrusts even harder, groaning, "Want you to, baby, let me feel you."

He pounds into you and if it weren't for the riotous sounds of Michael's DJ-ing skills carrying from the patio throughout the house, the entire party would've heard your enthusiastic orgasm. 

You whimper and writhe as your pussy squeezes Ashton, eliciting a loud "FUCK, baby" from him just before you feel his cock twitch and pump you full of his cum.

Spent from his orgasm, Ash lurches forward and ends up toppling onto you, you both collapsing against the bed like dominoes. You lay there for a beat, catching your breath and then you feel his lips brushing up and over your back, shoulders and the nape of your neck.

A warm giggle escapes you as you feel him nibble at your earlobe, smile against your skin and whisper, "Forgive me yet?"

—-

@cal-puddies Tag list: @cocktail-calum @1dthewantedlove @youngblood199456 @lustingforwunder @calumsphile @neso-k @rosecoloredash @radmcqueen @justayoungandwisefangirl @itsnotmyblood  @lietoash @pushthetide21 @5sosfanficrec @therealmrshale @fallfrxmgrace @lukashemmos @justarandomgirlthatyoudontknow @5sos-microwave @madbomb @sweetheartmendes1000 @literally-anythin @lfwallscouldtalk @clemmingstylins0n @ccnicole02 @lustingfor5sos @buteverythingiscopacetic @rosesfromcth @bodaciousbonzi1996 @ashtontotheirwin @captainam-erika-trash @xxgendurvikixx @jazzyangel242 @bluebabycal @rhiannonmichellee @iovehemmings @glitterycalum1205 @katcontreras @cashtonasfuck​​ @ificanthaveu @kindahoping4forever @here-for-the-uproars @canterburyfiction @opheliaaurora  @queer-5sos​​ @banditocth @gigglyirwin​  @glitterycalum1205 @rebelwith0utacause​​ @thesubtweeter​​

@cal-puddies gc tags: @sublimehood @sugarcoated-pain @5sosnsfw​​ @angelbabylu @aspiringwildfire @irwinkitten​​ @lashtoncurls​ @myloverboyash​​ @singt0mecalum​

[cornfields-and-bad-dreams]

@failsnail requested Fiona meeting the crazy assholes a bit ago and I finally finished it.

summary: Fiona is new to Los Santos and has a run in with some drunk assholes.

work count :2000

Rating: PG 13

Fiona was new to Los Santos, only been in the city for two days but already she was learning what kinda place it was.  She'd come home from picking up some take out to find her apartment door wide open, inside was a mess, all her things thrown about and scattered on the floor.  Luckily she didn't have anything of real value, some jewelry was missing as was her laptop, but that thing was so old the robbers had done her a service taking it.  Still, Fiona felt extremely vexed to have something like this happen so quickly after moving in.  Putting everything back where it belonged she finally got around to eating.

"I hope the rest of the week will be better."

It wasn't.

The rest of the week was just as infuriating as how it'd began.  Fiona had to pay out of pocket to get her apartment door fixed, the job she'd moved for fell through, her clucker of a car got stolen, and to round off the week she just happened to be at the bank when some half-wits wearing pantyhose over their heads decided to rob it.  Well, try to rob it would be a better description, the idiots obviously didn't know what they were doing and got arrested pretty quickly.  Still, though, the whole experience left Fiona very agitated.

It was Saturday night and Fiona had decided to go for a walk, she needed fresh air and the cool autumn breeze felt perfect.  The tension she'd been carrying all week was almost completely gone when once again, Fiona found herself in the middle of trouble.  Three men had just come out of a bar up ahead of her, the trio was loud and obviously intoxicated.  Fiona tried her best to ignore the men as they stumbled down the sidewalk leaning on and shoving each other around, but as all four of them came to meet, the shortest of the men got pushed into Fiona.  Fiona fell to the pavement and the three men kept going as if nothing happened, in hindsight, they probably didn't realize what they'd done, but at the moment Fiona felt livid that they'd just ignored her.  Getting to her feet she hurried to meet them once again.

"Hey." Fiona grabbed the guy in the middle and spun him around the face her "Are you really just going to walk off without apologizing?"

The man sneered as his two friends watched in confusion.

"What's your problem lady?" He swayed back and forth, unsteady on his feet.

"My problem?  My problem is you.  You and your buddy there," she pointed at the shorter man "just knocked me down."

"What are you going on about?"  The shorter man spoke.

"Yeah, what's this fuss all about?" the third man spoke in an English accent.

"I don't know who you think you are talking to us like that, but you better back off, or else you're going to get yourself in trouble."

"Yeah, tell her Michael." The British one cheered.

"You're messing with Mogar, the Golden Boy, and Rimmy Tim now.  So you better beware." Michael continued.

Fiona took a step closer getting right in Michael's face.

"I don't know who you are, but you do not get to shove me down and walk away as if nothing happened."

"Get out of my face." Micheal gave Fiona a shove.

It was at this moment that Fiona's temper reached its limit.  Taking a swing she clocked Michael right in the face.  The shorter man moved to respond but Fiona quickly stopped him with a swift kick to the crotch.  The British one made an odd noise that got Fiona's attention, turning to him he stepped back.  Fiona narrowed her eyes at him.

"You better not pull anything or I'm gonna break that big nose of yours."

The man nodded vigorously and moved to help his friends.

"Now let that be a lesson to you all not to be fucking rude."

Fiona turned and left.  Leaving the men to recompose themselves.  As Fiona walked away the realization of what had just happened settled in.  Fiona shook a bit, looking back behind her to see if she was being followed, luckily she wasn't.  Fiona finally made it back to her apartment, dead bolting the door she collapsed onto the couch.  Steadying her breath she flipped on the TV, it came to life on the news channel, she was about to change the channel when a picture popped up that made her freeze.

"Earlier today three Fake AH Crew members went on an impromptu race through the city, sources say it was Michael "Mogar" Jones, the Golden Boy, and Rimmy Tim, or as they've been dubbed, The Lads."

It was the men, the guys she'd just encounter.  Fiona's heart raced, being new to the city she didn't know much about the FAHC but from what she'd heard, they were the top criminals around.  Fear paralyzed her as the thought of retaliation crossed her mind.  What if they found her?  What could they possibly do?  Thoughts raced through her head.  That night Fiona didn't get any sleep

It was a week later and Fiona was still nervous but kept reassuring herself that nothing was gonna happen, the three were probably too drunk to remember what had happened, and even if they did surely they had more important things to deal with than some random civilian.  Right?

Fiona was on her way to work, she'd been able to get a job at a convenience store down the block from her, and was almost there when a car came to a screeching halt in front of her.  The car then backed up to be beside.

"Excuse me?" The window rolled down revealing the Golden Boy.

Fiona's heart nearly stopped, she quickly realized that Michael and Rimmy Tim were also in the car.  The thought of running entered her mind but seeing as she was on foot and they were in a car, she figured it wasn't a fair chance.

"Sorry to bother you love, but we wanted to talk to you."  The man spoke softly and sounded nervous.

"W-what?"  Was all Fiona was able to get out.

The back door of the car popped open and Rimmy Tim looked up at her awkwardly.

"We were hoping we could talk with you, maybe drive around a little?  If that's okay with you?"

Fiona's mind said no but her body said yes, nodding, she hesitantly got in the backseat with Rimmy Tim, shutting the door behind her.  The car pulled out and they were quickly passing her job.

"So," started Michael "We wanted to say sorry for last week."

"Yeah, we were piss-drunk and didn't know what we were doing.  We're all very sorry for the way things happened." Spoke the man in the passenger's seat.

"Is that all?" Fiona asked, realizing her tone was a bit accusatory she quickly covered her mouth.

The men laughed and shook their heads.

"No, actually our boss wanted to meet you.  Said he had to meet the girl who beat some sense into us."  Rimmy Tim replied.

"Your boss?  He's the King Pin, right?"

"Yeah, you're not from around here are you?" asked Michael, a hint of a laugh to his voice.

"No, I just moved here two weeks ago."

"Well, that explains why you weren't afraid of us huh?  You didn't know who we were."  Rimmy Tim was the one to laugh this time.

Fiona chuckled lightly too, the men were much different from their first impression.  The car was silent a moment before the Golden Boy spoke.

"I'm Gavin by the way, that's Jeremy, and this is Michael."

"It's nice to meet you."

"You don't gotta lie you know, you're not gonna hurt our feelings." Michael laughed.

Fiona started to calm down, her once tense body slowly relaxing.  The four spoke some more before eventually pulling into the parking garage of a large building.  Gavin opened the back door for Fiona after they got parked and the three men lead her to an elevator.  Getting in Jeremy hit the button for the top floor.  Soon the elevator doors opened to a beautiful penthouse suite, stepping out Fiona looked around, it was all so amazing.  She'd never been anywhere so lavish.

"You can have a seat on the couch if you'd like, I'm gonna go get Geoff,"  Gavin said.

Fiona took a seat as Gavin disappeared down a hallway.  Jeremy offered Fiona a drink which she politely declined, even if the men were being friendly now, she didn't want to risk it.  From down the hall where Gavin had disappeared a loud voice could be heard yelling.

"You actually got the girl?"  Fiona could only assume it was the King Pin, Geoff was what Gavin called him?

The sound of several frantic footsteps drew closer and closer until Geoff and a woman appeared from the hall.

"You have got to be kidding me." the woman sighed.

Fiona felt nervous again, the guys had said their boss wanted to meet her, but this didn't seem to line up at all.

"Please tell me you didn't kidnap her."  Geoff looked back and forth between the three lads.

"No way, she totally came of her own free will." Jeremy insisted.

The woman made her way over to Fiona and sat down gently beside her.

"Are you alright?  They didn't pull anything did they?"

"No, I'm fine." She looked over to Gavin and Michael who were next to Geoff "It was a bit, startling to suddenly see them again, and it was odd to be invited for a drive."

The woman glared at the lads before turning back to Fiona.

"I'm so sorry for them, they're moron."

Geoff came and leaned against the sofa.

"When the lads told us about what had happened I commented that I wanted to meet you, but I didn't expect them to actually track you down."

"We didn't track her down." Michael defended "We just happened to see her and thought it would be good to apologize and see if she'd be willing to come over."

"If you don't want me here I can leave."

Geoff shook his head rubbing at his temple.

"No, you're already here it's fine.  I'm Geoff by the way, I don't know if the guys said who I was, this is Jack."  He gestured towards the woman. "Since you are here, I would like to say you did a pretty good job handling these three.  They can be quite a handful when they're drunk."

"It was no trouble."

The group sat around and talked late into the night, food was ordered, movies were watched, games were played.  Fiona could hardly believe it but these hardened criminals seemed more like a family than anything else.  It was weird being a part of it with them, but at the same time, it felt right.  Gavin had passed out on the couch, Jeremy was in the bathroom, Michael and Jack had returned to their rooms for the night, leaving Fiona and Geoff to clean up.

"You know, tonight was really fun,"  Geoff spoke.

"It was.  Can't believe it was real, to be honest, but it was definitely fun."

"This doesn't have to be a one-time thing."  Geoff looked over at her.

"What do you mean?"

"Why don't you join us?  You'd fit right in and we'd love to have you."

"I don't know, it's a wonderful offer, but I don't know if this is the life for me."

Geoff chuckled.

"Think it over.  You can stay the night, by the way, hate to send you home this late."

"Thanks, and I will think it over.  This has been the best day I've had since moving here."

"Glad we could be a part of it."

Geoff showed Fiona to a spare bedroom and retired to his room for the night.  Crawling into bed Fiona smiled.

"Maybe I don't need to think it over that much."

[gra-sonas]

Malex 5, 7 and 20 for the questions, please and thank you :)

Thank you for playing, nonnie!!! Took me a moment longer to answer these, but here we go!

5) Who sleeps on the couch when they get into a fight?

Well, Michael certainly tries to sleep on the couch when they have what he considers their “first big fight”. In the middle of their argument he walks into their shared bedroom, grabs his pillow and a spare blanket and comes back out into the living room to throw both items into the corner of the couch Alex is currently not occupying.

Alex looks at Michael, raising one eyebrow in question.

“You don’t have to say anything, Alex, I know I’m exiled from the bedroom. I’ll take the couch.”

“I didn’t say anything about you being exiled from the bedroom, neither did I ever have the intention to say it.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, you can’t sleep on the couch.” The “because of your leg” is left unsaid.

Alex sighs and pats the empty space between Michael’s bedding and himself.

“Please come and sit down with me for a minute, Michael.”

Michael can’t refuse Alex anything when he calls him Michael in that soft, yet earnest voice. He walks across the room, carefully maneuvers around Alex and plops down next to him on the sofa. He doesn’t look at Alex, though, afraid of to find an expression of anger or disappointment on Alex’s face.

Alex slowly reaches out to Michael, careful, as if not to spook him. He puts a hand on Michael’s thigh, the warmth of his hand seeping through the thin cotton of Michael’s sweat pants.

“Michael, could you please look at me?”

Michael turns his head and to his surprise, Alex smiles at him.

“I just wanted to make one thing absolutely clear before we even consider continuing our earlier discussion--”

“Discussion? We were having a full blown argument, Alex, you were angry at me, it makes sense for you to kick me out of the bedroom.”

“Michael! I’m not angry with you. A bit agitated over the argument maybe, but I’m not angry. And I’m not kicking you out of the bedroom. In fact I want us to make a promise to each other right here and right now.”

Michael looks at Alex. “What promise, Alex?”

“I want us to promise, that no matter what, we will NEVER go to bed angry. We will NEVER sleep in two different rooms after an argument. I want us to promise that we will always find a way to make up before we go to sleep, and that we sleep in the same bed every night.”

Alex cups Michael’s face with his hand.

“We’ve lost more than a decade to miscommunication, wrong timing and arguments, I don’t want to lose even a single night to some argument we won’t even remember ten days from now.”

Michael looks at Alex and flings himself at him. He presses Alex into the corner of the couch, hugging him tight like he’s afraid Alex will slip out of the embrace. Instead, Alex wraps his arms around Michael and squeezes back. They stay like this for a long time, until Michael’s calmed down and they are breathing in unison. At some point, Alex pulls his head back a few inches to look Michael in the eyes.

“I want to hear you say it, Michael. It’s important."

Michael kisses the tip of Alex’s nose.

“I promise, that no matter what, that we’ll NEVER go to bed angry, that we'll NEVER spend the night apart after an argument, and that the makeup sex will ALWAYS be amazing.”

He winks at Alex. It makes Alex smile, and his eyes shine with so much love for Michael, Michael barely knows how to handle it.

“That’s an excellent promise. Would you mind if I’ll take you up on that last bit  now? I’m really rather tired of all the talking and would prefer we end the evening on a high note.”

Michael kisses Alex on the mouth before he pulls back, gets up and reaches for Alex’s hand.

“I’ll lead the way!”

7) Who said “I love you” first? and who ends their arguments in a fight with “Because I love you”?

They both say it at the same time, actually.

Their friends leave late after a BBQ Alex had hosted in his backyard. Instead of leaving with the others, Michael stays to help Alex clean up. He’s carrying all the dirty dishes inside, carefully placing them in the dishwasher, putting leftovers in the fridge and cleaning larger items that don’t fit in the machine by hand. Alex comes inside, carrying a large IKEA bag filled with throw pillows and fleece blankets. He puts the pillows and blankets away and joins Michael in the kitchen.

“Domestic looks good on you, Michael.”

“Let me tell you, I’m the king of domestic, Alex. My kitchen clean up game is top notch, my vacuum skills are unparalleled, and you should see me do laundry. Mouth watering!”

Alex laughs, and it’s music to Michael’s ears.

“You know what, I’ll take the leg off, get a fire started, and you join me on the couch when you’re finished cleaning up. Deal?”

Michael half turns around and smiles fondly at Alex.

“Deal!”

Alex builds a fire in the fire place and has it burning in no time. Then he puts on one of his favorite records and lights some candles before he retreats to his bedroom to take off his leg. When he returns to the living room, he’s clad in his favorite pair of sweatpants. He grabs the knitted blanket Isobel gave him for Christmas from the back of the comfy chair and sits down on the couch, placing his crutches on the floor.

He snuggles up under the blanket and listens to Michael bustling in the kitchen. When Michael finally joins him in the living room, it’s dark outside, and Michael’s curls shine golden in the light of the fire. He’s carrying two mugs and carefully places them on the colorful coasters Rosa made for in therapy last year. Alex leans forward and smells.

“Lavender?”

“Good guess, put a spoonful of honey in your tea, I think that’s how you like it best, right?”

Michael’s walked around the couch table and sat down next to Alex, turning half around to face him. Alex nods.

“You remembered.”

“Of course I remembered. I remember everything about you, Alex. I know how you like your coffee, I know which side of the bed you prefer to sleep in, I know your favorite poem and many other little things. You are important to me, and knowing all these things about you, make me happy. And it gives me hope.”

Alex’s heart is beating a million miles a minute in his chest, but he tries to stay calm.

“Hope? What do you hope for, Michael?”

“I hope that one day, I can put all that knowledge to good use and love you the way you deserve to be loved. Every day, for the rest of our lives.”

There’s suddenly a huge lump in Alex’s throat and his own voice sounds more like a squeak to him when he replies.

“For the rest of our lives?”

Michael nods and smiles at him, open, vulnerable, but also full of love. There’s fireworks exploding in Alex’s chest when he bends forward, and Michael does the same (meeting him in the middle) and then they’re hugging and Michael pulls him closer and closer until he’s basically in Michael’s lap, wrapped in the most perfect hug he’s ever received.

He hears a hoarse whisper from Michael, close to his ear. “Alex.”

And he whispers back. “Michael.”

And then, as if the stars had aligned for this one perfect, cosmic moment in time, they both whisper “I love you.” at the same time. They both start crying (happy tears), whispering “I love you I love you I love you.” over and over again. Kissing, hugging, laughing.

They are a mess, but they are a perfect mess, and they both know that their time has finally come.

20) Who falls asleep in the others lap and who carries them to bed?

They usually manage to go to bed at a Reasonable Time™ before either of them falls asleep, but when it happens, it’s usually Michael who falls asleep, his head in Alex’s lap, and Alex’s strong fingers carefully carding through his curls. It’s the most soothing and relaxing experience, so really, Michael isn’t at all to blame for falling asleep. Alex won’t carry Michael to bed tho (even though he could, going to the gym with Kyle Valenti’s made Alex “bulk up” in all the right places - all in taste and good proportions, he only had to up his dress shirt size one number).

When Alex falls asleep in Michael’s lap one day, though? Michael doesn’t have the heart to wake him up when he’s ready to go to bed himself. Instead of carrying Alex, he uses his telekinesis to “float” Alex to their bedroom, carefully putting him down on the mattress. Thankfully, Alex doesn’t wake up. Michael climbs into bed, pulls up the covers up around them, snuggles up close to Alex from behind, and falls asleep with a smile on his face.

~ * ~

Ask me more OTP questions for Malex or Belmanes from this list!

[pastelwitchling]

This prompt is courtesy of Anonymous.

Malex together after the debacle with Maria and Forest but with Forest as the ‘If i can’t have you no one can’ guy

TW: kidnapping, drugging, possessive behavior.

***

Alex woke up in the passenger’s seat of a familiar car.

“Huh?” he croaked and tried to sit up only to find his wrists chained to the door handle. “What the –”

Alex’s words lodged in his throat when he looked to the seat beside him, and found Forrest driving.

               Without looking at him, his composure as calm as ever, Forrest said, “Don’t get mad, okay?”

               “What did you do?” Alex breathed as he tried to sit up, but he felt dizzy and slumped back in his seat.

               “Careful,” Forrest growled. “The chloroform’s still in your system. You try to sit up too quickly and you’ll make yourself sick.”

               “Chloro…” Alex started, and as he squirmed in his seat, his memory came back to him. He’d been outside the Crashdown Café, having just kissed Michael goodnight, and Forrest had come up to him, begging Alex to leave the cowboy and come back to him. Alex had been so shocked, he’d realized too late that Forrest had had a handkerchief in his hand. He’d wrapped his arms around Alex’s back, and Alex had thought he was trying to hug him, to hold onto him, when really –

               “You drugged me?” Alex whispered.

               Forrest’s hands on the steering wheel tightened, his jaw clenched. “I – I didn’t have a choice, you…” he huffed an agitated chuckle. “You just weren’t listening to me.”

               “Michael – what’d you do to Michael?”

               That was the wrong thing to say. Forrest slammed a hand on the steering wheel and the honk went off, the sound like an echo of screams in Alex’s head, making him flinch.

               “DON’T SAY HIS NAME! I DON’T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT HIM!” Forrest trembled as he released a shaky sigh. “This… this is about us, okay? You and me. We always knew how to talk to each other better than anyone else did, right?”

               Forrest kissed his fingers roughly and pressed them to Alex’s shoulder. He cupped Alex’s jaw with one hand, his thumb caressing his cheek.

               “I’m sorry I yelled, baby,” he said. “I know – I know – you hate yelling. I’m sorry, I won’t do it again. I just… you’re the only really good thing I’ve ever had in my life. If I can’t have you,” he shook his head, and didn’t finish.

               Alex couldn’t turn away from Forrest’s touch. All it made him want to do was cry. This was the man he had curled up against on his own couch, the man he’d spent countless nights in the bunker with, the man who brought him food and drinks when Alex forgot to eat, the man who had kissed Alex as if there could never have been a choice between Alex and anyone else. The man who showed Alex what it felt like to really be loved. Alex hated himself, and he hated Forrest for not being able to hate him now.

Instead, Alex tried to focus on what he could do. He took a look outside the windows. He didn’t recognize where they were. It was a flat plain, desert for miles on either side, so that had to be a good sign, right? They were probably still in New Mexico.

               “Forrest,” Alex steadied his voice, “stop the car.”

Forest didn’t respond.

               “Stop the car.”

               “First time I asked you out, you looked like you were waiting for me to start laughing. Like you just couldn’t believe anyone would ever really want you.”

               Alex stilled.

               “Remember that?” Forrest scoffed. “Or how about the second time? When you told me to knock it off, to spit it out. ‘You need something, right? What is it?’ Your exact words. Remember, Alex?”

               He said nothing.

               “That’s what he did to you. He made you think you were a monster, like you were something that couldn’t be loved. Like you weren’t worth fighting for,” Forrest growled. “And now, he says he’s ready to take you back, and you go running to him. Bet it feels great. Bet it will until he decides you’re just too much trouble again.”

               “Stop it,” Alex snapped. “You’re – you’re twisting it around, he’s not like that.”

               “Then how?” Forrest demanded. “How could he choose someone else? You were right there, and he chose someone else.” He shook his head. “I would never. You’re it for me, Alex, since the second I saw you, I knew I was screwed. I’d rather die than be with anyone else.” He paused, then, “I’d rather die than see you with anyone else.”

               Alex curled his hands to fists and swallowed slowly. Despite the anesthetic still in his system, his mind was already running through his training, what he remembered, what he knew would be useful, what would be useless, and what would be complete suicide. He tugged subtly at his chains, but every time he moved the handcuffs pinched his skin painfully, and he was left more nauseous and dizzy than anything else.

               Think, Alex. Think.

               “I have some water in the back,” Forrest said, reaching back with one hand to grab a bottle. He hit the brakes, undid the bottle, and pressed it against Alex’s lips. As Alex drank, Forrest ran a hand down his hair, as he used to do, patting down the wild strands that got swept up in the wind and refused to come back down.

               Having drank, Alex was able to think a little more clearly. He watched Forrest take a sip from that same bottle, close it, and reach back to put it behind him.

               “Forrest,” he said quietly, “please take off the handcuffs.”

               Forrest searched Alex’s face. “No.”

               “They’re hurting me,” Alex whispered, his voice cracking. “Please, they – they’re hurting.”

               Forrest’s frown deepened as he looked to the handcuffs and seemed to finally notice that they were turning Alex’s wrists a deep shade of purple. He muttered a curse, and leaned over the airman to loosen them a bit. Once Alex could feel the blood flowing back into his hands, he grabbed Forrest’s wrist.

               Forrest flinched, apparently expecting an attack, but Alex leaned in and took the historian’s lips in his own. Forrest gasped against Alex’s mouth, then made a muffled sound like a sob before he hungrily took Alex’s face in his hands and kissed him deeper.

               Their kisses were as heated as they always had been, their tongues sliding against one another’s, their moans silenced against the other’s lips. When Forrest pressed into Alex, Alex winced and pulled back from the kiss.

               “My – my arms,” Alex said, moving his arms as if to show Forrest that until his handcuffs were undone, he wouldn’t be able to hold Forrest properly on his lap. Forrest looked hesitant to let him go. Alex looked away from him and scoffed, making it sound like a cry. “Don’t. It should hurt. I deserve it.” He sighed, shaking his head. “All I do is hurt people, right? I hurt my friends, I hurt Guerin, I even hurt you. And you were the last person I ever wanted to hurt.”

               “Alex, no,” Forrest cupped Alex’s jaw, his expression pained. “No, don’t say that.”

               “It’s the truth,” Alex pursed his lips. “Look, even you don’t trust me anymore. You were the only one I could rely on, and… now I’ve disappointed you, too.”

               “Never,” Forrest breathed and kissed him hard. “Never, baby. Look, I’m taking them off, okay? I’m taking them off.”

               And he did as he said he would do, unhooking the handcuffs and letting them fall to the car floor before he straddled Alex’s lap properly and wrapped his arms around the airman’s shoulders, kissing him deeply.

               Alex wrapped an arm around Forrest’s waist, kissing him just as eagerly for a moment before he pulled back. “Wait, wait, the – the car, you have to have to turn the car off.” He forced a chuckle, “Before we waste the gas, and get stuck out here.”

               “Oh yeah,” Forrest panted, looking dazed. A smile pulled at the corner of his lips, and Alex felt no satisfaction at the sight of it. He knew it was pathetic, he knew it was stupid, but he only felt guilt lurch in his stomach as Forrest happily kissed him once more, and forced himself back into the driver’s seat. He turned off the ignition and pulled the keys out. Alex pretended not to watch as Forrest tossed them onto the dashboard. They were sharp enough to be used as a weapon, they would have to be.

               Forrest quickly came back onto Alex’s lap, and attacked his lips with his own. Alex moaned, and pretended to fidget under Forrest’s weight as he reached out for the keys with one hand, his other holding Forrest’s body close.

               “I love you, Alex,” Forrest breathed against his lips, and Alex faltered. “I love you so much.”

               Alex pressed his forehead against Forrest’s shoulder, the keys momentarily forgotten as Alex was reminded of a beautiful smile and sure words, asking him out, talking to him as if he was a valuable painting that could only be seen and never actually touched. Forrest loved him that much, Alex knew. His eyes burned.

               “I love you, too,” Alex whispered, and was shocked to know that his words were not a lie.

               He did love Forrest, he knew a part of him always would, but there was Michael. His beautiful, passionate, angry cowboy. Forrest may have had a piece of Alex’s heart, but Michael had Alex’s entire being. Every fiber in Alex’s body yearned for Michael, and it was for him, and to save Forrest from doing anything he would really regret, that Alex kept his focus in mind, and reached for the keys again.

               His fingers barely closed on them before Forrest seemed to realized something was wrong. But it was too late; Alex was too fast.

               “What –” Forrest started, his brows furrowed.

               “Don’t,” Alex said quietly, pressing the tip of the largest key to the back of Forrest’s neck. “You know what I’m capable of. You know I’ve killed with a lot less than this.”

               “But… no –”

               “You’re going to take us back to Roswell, and do exactly as I say, or I will end you with my bear hands, do you understand?”

               “Alex, no,” he said, starting to sound desperate as the reality of the situation sunk in. “No, please, tell me this is a joke.” He held Alex’s face tightly, running one hand down his cheek, his eyes filling with tears. “It’s – it’s a joke. Right? It’s a really cruel one, but I’ll – I’ll forgive you, because I love you. It’s a joke, right, Alex? Right?”

               Alex’s own vision blurred a moment, but he blinked quickly and let the tears fall down his cheeks. He grit his teeth. “Get in your seat, Forrest, and take us back to Roswell.”

               “Alex –”

               “NOW!”

               Forrest searched his face, then, “You… don’t love me anymore?” Alex didn’t trust himself to speak. Something suddenly hardened in Forrest’s eyes, and he nodded.

               He slowly moved off Alex’s lap, back into the driver’s seat. When Alex put the keys back in, he barely had time to lean back before Forrest slammed on the gas, and sent them flying off the road.

               “I don’t care if I die, Alex, not if living means having to live without you, and as for you…” he smirked miserably, “if I can’t have you, no one can.”

               Alex tried to reach over to Forrest, but he knew that if he grabbed him while they were at this speed, he could get either or both of them killed.

               “Stop it, Forrest, stop it!”

               “One way or another,” Forrest said and Alex realized with a panic that they were approaching hills. Attempting to fly over just one would flip the car over. “We’ll be together, baby.”

               But just as the words left Forrest’s lips, just as they neared one hill, the car came to a gradual slowdown.

               “What the – what the hell?!” Forrest stomped on the gas again and again, but even as the wheels turned, the car wouldn’t move. Alex then caught a familiar truck in the rearview mirror approaching them.

               “Michael,” Alex breathed, and before Forrest could stop him, he forced the car door open and stumbled out. He would’ve fallen except that Michael stopped his own truck and leapt out, running to Alex’s side in an instant, and catching him before he could hit the ground.

               “Alex, Alex,” Michael kept panting the airman’s name against his hair, his arms trembling as they held him. Alex wrapped his own arms tighter around Michael’s waist, burying his face in the cowboy’s chest and inhaling deeply.

               Everything was okay now because Michael was here. He was here, with Alex, keeping him safe. Everything was going to be fine.

               “Alex!” Max yelled, coming out of the passenger’s seat, wearing his sheriff’s uniform. “You okay?”

               Alex nodded, and Max touched his shoulder as he passed as if to make sure for himself that the airman was really there and safe.

               Michael looked up, glaring. He growled, “I’m going to kill him.”

               “No!” Alex gripped his arm. “Please, I don’t – I can’t see him hurt, Guerin.”

               “Alex, he drugged you,” Michael hissed, his grip on Alex tight even as he watched a restrained Forrest moving in his car. “He tried to take you from me –”

               “Please,” Alex cried, and Michael seemed to finally notice that the airman’s face was streaked with tears. “Please, Michael.”

               Michael’s face softened as he held Alex’s gaze, and after a moment, he nodded, not looking any happier about it.

Still, he held Alex tighter and kissed his head, shielding him from Forrest as Max walked him to the back of Michael’s truck to leave there as they drove back to Roswell. Alex heard Forrest call for him, and he shut his eyes tighter, holding onto Michael with a painful grip.

“I’m here, Private,” Michael whispered, and Alex felt the pain in his heart lessen, all but a small piece of it. “I’m here.”

***

I’M SORRY, FORREST, I LOVE YOU SO MUCH BUT THE PROMPT REQUEST MADE ME. Let it be known that Forrest Long is my very precious cinnamon roll, and is under my protection.

[mxpseudonym]

Hell or High Water: Part II

Pairing: Tommy x OC

Summary: Having a detective as a partner pays off when you’re a gangster.

Length: 1704 words (allegedly)

Warnings: Swearing

Ask: Hell or high water is amazing ! can u write a 2nd part where she talks to polly and the rest of the family and maybe something happens so that they learn to trust her ? - Anonymous

A/N:  I hope this is up your alley, anon! I was writing this and was lowkey scared for Sara’s future and may make a part III, but I don’t really know. 

Part I: Hell or High Water ; Masterlist

--

It had been nearly a year since Polly had declared Sara what she was: not a Shelby and never to be one. Sara moved back to London for more pressing assignments, and, to her absolute delight, Tommy kept his promise. He got a reasonably sized apartment for himself when he bought Ada's house. Sara would stay there with him when he visited, lovely suspenders and trousers already in the drawers.

"How did you manage all of this?" She asked as she looked into the wardrobe. Tommy wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and kissed her shoulder.

"I've got my ways, Miss Miller. One day I'll convince you to move in here too," he mumbled that last bit.

"But then it wouldn't be very inconspicuous would it," she pointed out. Instead of an answer, Tommy tugged her button-down from her trousers and continued her undressing. 

Even for a short amount of time, you learn more about someone when you live with someone. Sara already did an impeccably good job at reading him, but she had gotten too good. She never let on, but Sara knew what flour on his pants leg and the lingering smell of illegal rum meant. She also knew that it was only a matter of time before it happened. 

"Fuck me," she murmured to herself when she opened the file that was waiting on her desk after lunch. She sat and read up on the man she would surely be in bed with that weekend. "Thomas Michael Shelby, decorated veteran. At least it's interesting." There was a knock at the door, and her boss's pageboy was standing there a folder in hand.

"Chief Harrington would like to see you at the half-hour, Miss," he said. Soon enough, she was sufficiently annoyed with her love and standing in front of her Chief Harrington, file in hand.

"Miller, give me a good reason to not arrest those Peaky Blinder scoundrels right now," Harrington said so calmly. "They've scurried up the river and into Camden and brought a few boatloads of workers with 'em. If nothing else, they're poking at the whole Jewish Italian gang nonsense. Inciting violence, all of 'em." The balding man placed his pipe in his mouth and stoked it. 

If she were honest and good at her job, she'd tell him to do it. There was a multitude of sins committed by the razor gang that couldn't be taken back even if they wanted to, which they didn't. The Shelbys were agitating the already war-like street corners in the city. But that's not what she said. Because Sara had been hired by Chief Harrington for her "magic trick." But she was too good. There were things she'd found that he'd tell her to hide. These cops weren't on the straight and narrow, they were all in somebody's pocket. And men like Harrington wanted to be in good graces with the right people. She deserved acting in her best interests sometimes.

"Sir, we can't arrest them," Sara said. "It's out of our jurisdiction until we have evidence. More importantly, your contract is being revisited this year," she said. Harrington looked up in surprise and intrigue. He loved power indeed.

"And?"

"While the Peaky Blinders may be moving into London, it won't be as impressive to stop them as it would to stop, say, Charles Sabini. Also, the Peaky Blinders' leader, Thomas Shelby, is a decorated veteran, Sir. A tunneler. He's been of help to Winston Churchill in recent years."

"Bloody hell," Harrington coughed on his smoke. "Why haven't I heard about this before?"

"It's not well known. I had to do some work to find it," Sara responded vaguely to which he smirked.

"That's right, your little parlor trick. Alright, that's your professional opinion?" He looked her over. Still not happy he couldn't make out her curves, it seemed.

"Yes, that's my professional opinion."

"Bury it then. We'll only revisit if we have to," Harrington told her then promptly shooed her out of the office.

After work, she packed a small bag and took the train to Small Health. The whole time she thought about her relationship with Tommy. Where was it going, and could they actually get there? Their paths would keep crossing like this until one of them stopped. But when would that be? When Tommy went above board? She laughed at that one. That would be a sight to see. But she wouldn't leave her job until she was booted, which didn't seem that unlikely with the way corruption was going. Still, unlikely. She sighed and let her eyes close until it was announced she was at her destination. 

The Shelby's had family meetings when needed, and lately, that had been more. Tommy checked his watch in the dim light of his office and began putting his work away. He had reports from London that would, hopefully, shut the worriers up a bit. This was good. A knock sounded at his door, and he told them to come. 

"Sara?" He stood as she walked in and looked around. 

"This is nice," she commented on his office, picking up a decorative paperweight on her way to him. 

"Couldn't wait 'til Saturday?" Tommy moved to the front of his desk and leaned against it. Sara avoided answering any question and decided to kiss him instead. She was even surprised by how passionate it was considering her frustration.

"You're so stupid," she murmured between kisses. Tommy's brow furrowed, but his arms wrapped around her to pull her closer anyway. She sighed into the embrace. "I love you."

"What's wrong," he asked once they were forced to breathe once again. Honestly, he half expected this to be another lecture about him smoking three packs of cigarettes a day when he was supposed to be down to two. He couldn't figure out how she could tell. Maybe it was his shoes?

"Tommy, what have I always said about you and my work?" She asked. The flicker of realization told Sara that Tommy knew exactly what she meant. "The ABC, Tommy? Alfie fucking Solomons?"

"It needs to happen. Don't worry, we won't unionize," Tommy chuckled but stopped when she shook her head.

"I don't just work on unions, Tommy. That was just one assignment. Your file came across my desk today. 100 men shipped to Birmingham doesn't just go under the radar in a gang war," she explained. 

"Okay, so what do we need to prepare for? A raid?" His arms left her waist to cross over his chest.

"No, I took care of it. You're okay for now. But you should know this happened." Sara stepped away with a sigh 

"What do you mean, took care of it?"

"You have a family meeting in 10 minutes, don't you?" She asked and checked his watch. 

"I do. What gave it away this time?"

"You don't just stop working at 8pm. Your lights are off, and you were putting things away when I got here, but you're not tipsy, so you'll be speaking later." She waved off the process and motioned for him to stand. "I'll walk with you and tell you what happened." She only planned to walk to the doors of the betting shop and wait in the Garrison after, but Tommy swept her inside.

"You deserve to be here," was all he said. He never expected Sara to use her job to help them out. Had he hoped? Of course. But she did it on her own. Sara's attempts to object were ignored as he sat her down. His family came bumbling in a moment later, conversation stopping when they saw the young detective at the table.

"What the fuck is this, Tommy," Polly spat, pulling out a cigarette. 

"Just listen, Pol. We have some news about London," Tommy told her then motioned them all to sit. It didn't take long to explain, and Sara was there to answer questions about the cops and the law. She told them which policemen were working for Sabini, and who was susceptible to bribing as well. It wasn't her intention, but she was already in deep. 

"Good to know, Sara," Arthur nodded, taking a drink of whiskey. It was the first time she'd heard any of the Shelby's positively utter her name. 

"I'm always here to help." She smiled and let Tommy wrap up the meeting. Polly still didn't look entirely happy with Sara, especially when she was invited to the Garrison. While Tommy went to talk to his brothers, Sara sought out the Shelby matriarch. 

"I won't deny what you're doing for my family. That doesn't mean I'm opening my arms to you," Polly said before taking a drag of her cigarette. "And if you think,"

"Polly," Sara stopped her. Polly was about to snap for being interrupted, but the young detective continued. "I know that Tommy wants you to take me in, but I want you to know it's okay if you don't. I promise. You have a family to protect, and I think you also have yourself to protect."

"I don't need your pity."

"I don't have pity to give," Sara said. "I respect you a whole lot, Polly. I happen to love Tommy a lot too, so I'm not going to stay away from him unless he wants it. But, I'm not going to make you like the law when I think they've hurt you more than some of the others know." She gave Polly a sympathetic smile. "Not that I could force you to do anything anyway." 

"You're damn right," said Polly, though her eyes were a bit misty. 

"If you ever want to talk, I'm here. I think I, unfortunately, understand what you may have gone through." Sara pulled a card from her pocket and handed it to Polly. 

It was a tense situation, but with a little time, things between Sara and the Shelby's worked out. Sure, things got a little less honest at work, but there had to be a trade-off somewhere. Sara liked to think being invited to family dinners by Polly and the few lunches they had in London even warranted some trust. And Polly Shelby's confidence in any person went quite far. 

--

Original ask: May I request something for Tommy Shelby where he falls for a woman who is very unique (wears suits instead of dresses, but still has long hair, is quite like Sherlock Holmes yk knows how to deduce and is a detective, insanely intelligent) and he smiles a lot more etc and his family is a little skeptical since he's a detective and they think she's like Campbell but they both really love each other? - @midwinternightz

Tommy: @soleil-dor

[ateezcity]

almost there

pairing - Jaehyun x fem oc Maia

warnings - angst but not too much, enemies to lovers trope, slight cursing (vv slight), a bit cliche ajsjs and fluff.

a/n - please don't hate me this is the first fic I've ever written and it was a very last minute thing for my two best friends (ly guys but LOOK WHAT you made me do). And yes I might be able to write better but 2 days will only give this so🤷🏻‍♀️

word count - 4.6k

“Insufferable-”

“-bitch.”

Neither of them could hear the other but both would surely have reeled if they knew they said the same thing at the same time.

They glared at each other from each of the farthest corners of the lecture hall, praying, for many reasons, that they had heard wrong.

“Excuse me.”

Maia looked up to see the blonde sitting in front of her call out to her. His name started with J too she thought but she wasn’t sure.

“Hi um hi my name is Jacob and I’m the third person part of your team for the uh final project that Sir Michael just assigned but aha um you knew that cause well you heard him too and- wait sorry I’ll stop now,” he broke off sheepishly all the while rubbing the back of his neck.

Maia let out a small laugh and released a breath she didn’t know she was holding.

“Hi, it’s okay. I’m Maia.”

“Of course I know who you are you always sit here.”

“Oh gosh I’m so sorry for not knowing your name all this time,” she replied hastily, “but I’m glad we’re in this group together. It will help me get over my social awkwardness more and maybe we’ll end up good friends, who knows.”

“Same here. I would like that,” he said with a slight smile.

“So,” he continued, “shouldn’t we go over to meet our other teammate?” Jacob hesitated before he looked down and said, “I don’t want to go alone he seems too intimidating and not to be rude or anything but also mean.”

“You got that right,” Maia muttered under her breath though quickly and out loud she said,” He’s not too bad don’t worry, though I wouldn’t want to go alone either. Come on let’s go over.” She figured they had to make the best of things considering this was a part of their finals and had 40% weightage.

As she turned to gather her belongings she heard Jacob. “You were saying?” as he indicated someone leaving in a flurry, with a tilt of his head. Maia gaped as she just caught a glimpse of Jaehyun practically running out the door.

“Great,” she uttered as she plopped back into her seat. “He just proved how much of an asshole he is.”

“Maybe we can catch him at lunch and ask him to speak to us privately. He would be forced to give in not wanting to prolong the questioning stares of others.”

“That’s a good idea although I’m not sure how long I, or for that matter either of us, can go before spewing curses left and right.”

As they came out into the corridor, Jacob seemed to be taking in her words and when he finally replied he said, “ I’m guessing you guys have a history and this won’t be the first meeting would it?”

Maybe it was the way Jacob talked so innocently but Maia shaking with laughter replied, “You guessed right. But more than history it was just him going from us trying to get to know each other because of mutual good friends, to him unnecessarily becoming hostile towards me? Just one day out of the blue? You better believe I wouldn’t back down and so here we are.”

“Ah oh.”

“Anyways I’m sorry but for the sake of everything I’m not going to let him ruin this so don’t worry about it and just let it float...slowly....out of your mind...and into that trashcan rightttt over there.”

The only reply was Jacob’s laughter ringing throughout the corridor.

   x_____________x

Maia and Jacob proved to work amazingly well and they had somehow made Jaehyun agree to spend 2 hours every day on the project (except weekends) all the while alternating between Jacob and Maia’s homes.

All Jaehyun could do was watch. Watch as those two joined forces to make him do his part. Watch as Maia’s beaming smile when he sighed and said okay, was quickly replaced by a resting face as she realised what she had done. He had screwed up his face as if in annoyance so it made sense. He knew all of this was his fault yet he didn’t dare give in. So he didn’t. But he always watched. Even today. He watched as she declared how she was about to die of hunger and was going to go buy some snacks. He watched as Jacob jumped up to go with her and playfully linked his arms with her. He watched their excited selves skipping and grinning to the door, only pausing to grab the money and to tell Jaehyun they would be back in a few minutes. At that moment all Jaehyun wanted to do was push Jacob against the wall and tell him to keep his hands to himself. He caught himself before he actually could knowing fully well Jacob had done nothing wrong and he was a good kid. Better than him at least. Much better. So he just watched as the door closed behind them.

x_____________x

It was finally Saturday.

Maia slept in and would have slept longer than twelve had it not been for the doorbell ringing. Running her hands through her tangled hair and looking down at her pyjamas and cropped hoodie, she opened the door hoping it was no one important. The sunlight glinted off her visitor’s chiselled jaw and in the next second she found herself slamming the door shut again. Suddenly Maia found her breathing had become laboured. “Wait why do I care if he sees me like this…” she thought, “I don’t right?”

With a low whatever she finally opened the door back again and was well surprised, to say the least, to see a flustered Jaehyun. Since when was this man ever flustered?

“So what brings you by to my humble abode today Jack Frost?”

“I- wait first why do you always call me that?”

“What? Jack Frost? Why should I tell you hm,” she replied with a click of her tongue. “Anyways get back to answering my question.”

“I well, um thought I could come by and work on the project.”

“Why? We agreed to keep our weekends free. Why on earth would you of all people want to work on your day off.”

He hesitated.

“I just thought it would help get us a good head start. Just please let me work on it.” He said something else under his breath but she didn’t catch it. He seemed agitated so she let it go and finally let him in.

“Okay go ahead. But I’m not helping you though I need to catch up on sleep. Also, why didn’t you go to Jacob’s?”

“Just because…”

“Hm ok,” she replied turning away.

Maia tried and truly she did to go back to sleep. However, knowing that the Jung Jaehyun was alone downstairs did not help. At all. More than anything it made things worse. She felt like screaming because she had no idea as to what was going on with her right now. She let out her frustration by screaming into her pillow, praying it was muffled enough. She ended up showering, putting on a fresh pair of pyjamas and a hoodie and tiptoeing back downstairs. She found Jaehyun sitting on the table with his laptop out and his back to the door. The table was already a mess from the stuff they were using for the project. She went up behind him bending down to his ear and said, “Whatcha doing Frost?”

To say Jaehyun jumped out of his skin would be an understatement. She didn’t think she was being too quiet when approaching him but Jaehyun hadn’t heard her. He let out a loud “What the fuck!” before falling from his chair. To no one’s surprise, Maia collapsed into uncontrollable laughter. Jaehyun was about to tell her to stop but realised he had never heard her laugh like this. Maia stopped and bit her lip from laughing, unable to read his expression. Seemed like awe but on Jaehyun’s face? Surely no.

“Um sorry? I didn’t realise you didn’t hear me come in. You wanna get up now or are you going to work down there?”

“Uh yea no I’m getting up just announce yourself or something before coming gosh.”

“Aw did I scare the big baby?”

“No you didn’t- yes, of course, you did loser I didn’t fall for fun or for you to call me a baby,” he retorted getting up. He turned away before adding under his breath, “Though I wouldn’t mind being called that by you.”

“What was that huh? I didn’t quite catch that.”

“Nothing,” he said quickly.

“No no, tell me. It didn’t seem like nothing hm. Go on,” she kept insisting going over to him and putting her face inches from his. Jaehyun took a sharp intake of breath as their glowing eyes met but a split second later he spat out the words “nothing” again.

“Fine. Are you done now? I need to leave.” Maia had had it with his bullshit attitude.

“What you’re going to leave dressed like that?’ he said smugly. His eyes travelled over her and Maia shuddered.

“Yea sure you have a problem with that?”

Jaehyun began gathering up his stuff and began to head for the door but stopped beside Maia and bent down, whispering, “Not a problem to me sweet cheeks.”

Maia didn’t even have time to register what had just happened before Jaehyun was out the door but she could bet he had a grin plastered on his face. What the heck was wrong with this boy?

x_____________x

The rest of the days working on their project went by without significant hitches and Jaehyun never did or say anything to acknowledge what happened that day. Maia stayed puzzled and a little flustered for a short while but went back to her usual self. Somehow it felt like it was only yesterday they had gotten the project assignment and now here it was. D-day. There was a presentation included and the amount of anxiety and stress Maia and Jacob had gone through was astronomical. Mainly because Jaehyun was going to cover that. None of them could remember how they agreed to that. Fortunately, Jaehyun carried it out smoothly or as close as he could to doing that. Now they just had to wait a week for their grades.

As the three of them left the lecture hall, Jacob turned to both of them stopping them in their tracks.

“Okay, I have a proposition for you both. What do you say we take a trip to the amusement park as a celebration? I feel like I haven’t gone out to have fun in ages,” he whined.

“I’m in!” Maia replied jumping up and down.

They turned towards Jaehyun in expectation. Even though he was annoying they had come to bear him and his mood swings. He was fun and nice when he wanted to be, which was rare but existed. Just then his friends called out to him to hurry up. He started towards them but not before letting out a soft, “sure see you two.”

Maia and Jacob faced each other with mouths gaping open. This was going to be fun.

x_____________x

“Woah.”

All three of them looked up to the entrance of the amusement park which almost seemed to reach the sky.

“Let’s get to it shall we!” an overexcited Jacob exclaimed.

“Looks like he really hasn’t been anywhere fun in long,” Jaehyun let out with a slight chuckle.

Maia stole a glance at him and a smile crept up to her face. “Yeah looks like it.”

The next second Jacob was dragging them both everywhere inside and the three finally let themselves relax, explore and let go. They finally sat down to rest awhile and fill up their starving selves after three hours of running about and trying rides. They each got cotton candy, hotdogs and popcorn.

While laughing at Jacob wolfing down his food trying to eat everything at the same time, Jaehyun pulled his hand out towards Maia and in a swift motion snatched the top of her cotton candy.

“Oh Woah mister no you don't,” she cried out as she reached over to snatch it back.

Jaehyun was quick though and he pulled his hand further back and out of reach. Maia was determined to get it back though and reached towards it without noticing her hand was on his thigh to balance herself. Jaehyun noticed it though and instantly dropped the cotton candy as he held his breath in.

“The hell Jung Jaehyun you just wasted good cotton candy,” Maia pouted but it didn't take her long to realise what she was doing or rather what position she was in. Her face hovering inches from Jaehyun’s and her hand on his thigh.

“Oh fuck,” was all she said before she jumped back to her seat.

Jacob looked up just to see beet red faces of his two companions and how they both excused themselves at the same time. The two glanced at each other before taking off in different directions.

Maia, oh poor Maia, her heart was hammering in her chest and she had no idea if it was because she was attracted to Jaehyun or just embarrassed. She ran the scene through her head again as she leaned against a wall, dark shadows dancing on her face. Then she realised what she was doing and shook her head attempting to somehow get rid of that memory. It didn't work. What a surprise. Maia knew though she needed to get a hold of herself and what she felt towards Jaehyun. How exactly did she feel?

Not too far off Jaehyun too was leaning against a wall but the difference was he knew why his heart was threatening to jump out of his chest. He had liked Maia ever since they had first been introduced. A month later, however, one of their mutual friends closer to him, had sat him down and told him to not get close to Maia. He had spewed all sorts of stuff about her and her family, how she was just nice to people to get them to do things for her and how she broke friendships. Practically nonsense. Jaehyun being a loyal and innocent boy then believed his friend and tried to be nasty and rude to get her to stay away when ignoring hadn't worked. After two whole years in university, he finally got exposed to her real side. That and the friend who had told him all that shit was expelled. He learnt the hard way to not be too trusting. It was still hard for him to lose that attitude towards Maia but he was trying. This project. It had done wonders. He had woken up one day his first thought being about Maia and he realised he had started to fall for her. She never noticed but he used to spare her glances anytime he could. Every little thing she did was embedded so deep in his mind it would hurt physically and mentally if they were to be removed somehow. But all he had done was watch.

They returned after quite a while, only for Jaehyun to say he was leaving first as he had to be somewhere. Jacob’s protests died on his lips as the crowd engulfed Jaehyun. It was only the two of them left and Jacob was just very very confused. Before he could say something though Maia got up first and said they should continue with their dinner plan.

x_____________x

Jaehyun was face down on the bed when he heard a ping! It was a notification of a post by Maia. Obviously, he had post notifications on for her. It was a picture of her and Jacob at the place they had decided to go for dinner. What caught his eye next was that he was tagged in the caption with a “missing Jack Frost.” Huh. He put in a heart but debated it for a solid five minutes before hitting backspace. Unfortunately or fortunately, it wasn’t the backspace key that he pressed but the send key. Almost immediately he received a like on it from none other than Maia. The colour that had drained from his face was slowly replaced by a crimson red creeping up. Suffice to say Jaehyun did not sleep at all that night.

The month of finals came and went and no one could catch two of the top graders, Maia and Jacob, who had become the best of friends, out of the library except for eating and sleeping breaks. Sometimes Jaehyun joined them too but little conversation was made. When they were finally done they slept for two days straight and Jaehyun was slightly worried when he couldn’t contact either of them. Cobie and Maia had gotten used to Jaehyun like this and had just labelled him as shy though Maia still sometimes thought he was an ass. They made a plan to hang out and just chill. The location they chose was Maia’s place. Again. They were obsessed with her house it seemed like. They watched movies, threw popcorn at each other, ordered takeout and made Jaehyun laugh more than he ever had with them. Maia caught herself staring at Jaehyun whenever he let out a laugh or even when the corners of his lips turned up. Jaehyun knew she was watching him but he didn’t want her not to so he didn’t acknowledge it. Once their eyes accidentally met for a bit too long and suddenly both of them were having a coughing fit. Jacob sometimes thought they were telepathic or something. At around eleven pm Jacob got a call to get back home. Jaehyun offered to stay back and help clean up. It was mostly done in silence when Maia broke it by asking him, “Why are you always acting so differently?”

Jaehyun was taken aback, to say the least, and only let out a, “huh?”

“I mean you look like you have fun when you are with us but then you catch yourself like you shouldn’t? Why?”

“I don’t do that.”

“Yes, you do. Don’t deny it. Look if you don’t want to explain that’s fine but I still think we deserve to know. I can’t believe I’m saying this but, we like you and we’re your friends. Let us in.”

“I- “ he broke off and hesitated before finally snapping,” I can’t just drop it.”

“Okay fine but this is exactly what I was saying. You start getting bitchy when we just try to be helpful or nice.”

“Well excuse me if I’m not always acting like a perfect goody-two-shoes like you,” he spat out.

“What’s your deal, Jung?” Maia lashed out as she strode over to him.

“Oh, wouldn’t you like to know, pretty face,” he sneered.

Maia was fuming. Her expression hardened and she bit out the words,” get out.”

“What?”

“I said get out. And stay the fuck out.”

Plastering a smile on his face he responded with a, “My pleasure.”

It had only been a few minutes since Jaehyun had left and Maia was still frozen in place. It was getting harder to breathe but she finally calmed down. It had now been twenty minutes and something else overtook Maia suddenly. Worry. Half of her was still raging but the other half was begging her to see the fact that he might be hurting or just misunderstood. She pulled out her phone to give Jacob a call. He picked up on the second ring and immediately asked if everything was okay.

“Yea. I think so. Actually no I don’t think so. More than me though its Jaehyun. We, um fought. And screamed at each other. I told him to leave and he smiled but it was scary. Like he was possessed or something. I don’t know like his actions and intentions were conflicting. Just call him and check on him I guess.”

“Yea okay definitely I’ll call you back.”

“Thanks, Cobie you’re the best.”

“I know,” and he hung up.

Maia let out a long sigh and flopped down on the couch. What in the world was happening. She couldn’t wrap her mind around it. She soon got Jacob’s caller ID flashing on her phone and she hastily picked up.

“Maia,” he started and she immediately knew there wasn’t going to be good news.

“He’s not picking up. I called him five times and on the sixth try his phone was powered off.”

Just then she heard her doorbell ring. She checked the time. It was just a few minutes after midnight.

“Jacob are you outside?”

“Um no? Should I be?”

“I’ll call you back.”

Maia walked over to the door and faltered a bit before opening it. Standing in front of her was the same man she had seen almost an hour ago. She took a step back and almost fell.

Jaehyun’s jaw tightened. It was like he was mustering up all his strength to open his mouth and say it all out. Let out everything he had hidden from everyone. For some reason though, he wanted to tell her everything the most. Still, even now, he could just watch. He stared at her as if trying to memorize her face. Every line, every curve, the way her nose was slightly scrunched up in confusion but her eyes, they were glowing. Neither spoke for a while, the tension around them evident. Then Maia spoke.

“Are you okay?”

That was all it took. The corners of his eyes crinkled and he looked heavenward. He was fighting back the tears but they raced down his cheeks. Maia’s throat tightened and she felt her heart shatter. Without thinking she reached out in a brisk movement and pulled him in. Jaehyun felt her arms around him as his body wracked with an onslaught of sobs. He let her. It had been too long. Too hard. It was time to let go.

x_____________x

Maia gradually led him over to the couch in the living room when he had gained some control over himself. He wouldn’t look in her eyes. He stared at the wall. The unforgiving walls the same as everywhere. He was always alone when he stared at them like that. Except today. Beside him, he had an anchor. Someone who he had wished for so long to be beside him like today. Maia couldn’t take it anymore. She took his face in her hand and turned it towards her.

“Can you speak now?”

He took a moment to just bore his eyes through hers. As if somehow he could tell her everything telepathically. He wasn’t sure if he could move his lips. And then he felt Maia’s hand on his own rubbing small circles. And he spoke.

He told her everything.

x_____________x

Maia knew her eyes glistened with tears as Jaehyun kept speaking and as she registered his words, but she willed herself to not let them fall. He had ended up with no one to connect with. He was living with burdens in his heart. He poured out every single emotion he had held onto. His family breaking apart, almost to the point of disowning him and cutting down everything. He had learnt to watch only because speaking would lead to consequences that always had him on his knees.

Maia had finally made him want to risk everything. He finished with a breath of relief and wondered when the last time was when he felt so...light.

He had turned away at some point staring at his fidgeting hands and Maia didn’t dare interrupt in any way. He looked back to her then. He found her with glinting eyes and a reassuring smile. He had never wanted to keep someone so close to him more than her, then.

“I’m sorry,” he said softly.

It was then that Maia let out everything that she herself had been holding in.

“Don’t you dare say that. I don’t want to hear you say that. You have nothing to be sorry for. Well except for all those times you were mean as hell but I was too and I’m sorry for that too.”

“Then...Thank you.”

“Always. Do you understand? I will always be here okay. I- okay I’m just going to go for it. I want you to know I’ll be here for you not out of pity but because I want to be. Because you make me want to. Probably not the best time to say this but I think I’m falling for you Jung Jaehyun,” she ended in hushed tones.

It was too quiet and too still. Jaehyun heard it as clear as day. Maia watched as his eyebrows rose and his eyes looked deep into hers to see the truth. He saw it. The same look he had often seen in the mirror these past few days. It was there now too. Maia saw it. She understood. But Jaehyun felt the need to say it out loud.

“I already have fallen for you.”

And all he did was lean in to attach his lips to her’s. It was quick and instant. But it was all and everything. As he pulled back their eyes met and the sparks in them didn’t help much. So this time Maia leaned and their lips fused as if they were the last pieces of a puzzle just waiting to be finally met. Both determined to make it last as long as they could, Jaehyun pulled Maia close by her waist and Maia, in turn, deepened it by putting one hand on his neck and running the other through his messy hair. They pulled back gasping for air but their foreheads still touching. While Maia bit her bottom lip, Jaehyun’s lips curved up into a smile. He made their lips meet again, just a peck and she felt his lips turn upwards into a smile against hers. Their hearts were barely in control but Jaehyun laid his head in the crook of her neck, breathing her in and holding her close. They stayed like that for a while until the easy silence was broken by the ring of Maia’s phone. They pulled away as Maia reached over and answered it.

“Hi Cobie yea, sorry I got distracted. Listen, he’s okay. He texted me so we don’t have to worry. Yea okay see you in class. Byeee.”

“You were worried huh?” she heard Jaehyun tease with a slight smirk on his face.

She smacked his arm and he exclaimed as if it hurt more than it actually had.

“Oh shut up Frost. I just declared my love for you and you’re teasing me about worrying? Nice. What about you huh why did you come back may I ask? Had you forgotten something?”

“Yes. You,” he said with a straight face.

Oh, Maia tried but the red still crept up her face. Jaehyun was no less, however, as she noticed his ears turn scarlet.

They both ended up giggling and then laughing.

x_____________x

They were in each other’s arms, Jaehyun not wanting to let go after getting to her finally. The movie was almost about to end so Jaehyun finally asked the lingering question in his mind.

“Why do you call me Jack Frost?”

“Huh?” Maia responded as she looked up at him breaking her concentration.

“You know. You’ve always called me Jack Frost and you still do. Why?”

“Quite the dumb one arent you?” Maia teased.

“Excuse me are you talking about yourself?” he replied in mock offence.

“Well if you must know. I used to call you that because you always came off as cold and frosty but it stuck so I still call you that but maybe the meaning has altered a bit now.”

“Oh really? How so?” His smile was smug but his eyes gleamed with adoration.

She grinned before saying,” You’re still a bit cold and frosty but just how I like it. You’re my Jack Frost.”

#first fic oh god #i hope i dont die of embrassment #jung jaehyun #nct #nct imagines #nct au #jaehyun au #jaehyun fluff #jaehyun angst #enemies to lovers #cringe maybe

[writingfromkitchenator]

Thor ~ Maniac

800 Followers Challenge!

Bonus Fic

Based on  Maniac by Michael Sembello

Words: 1,648

Warnings: Teasing, sexual tension, jealous Thor

If Thor wasn’t mistaken, your whole existence as part of the Avengers was to vex him.  You were an assassin, a damned good one at that, and you enjoyed killing just a little too much, but you were also kind, loyal and funny.

Although the humour always seemed to be as his expensive.

He wanted to hate you, he did, but he couldn’t.  Everything about you was perfect, even with the constant teasing thrown his way, and the skill you wielded in battle made him just want to do things to you.

Which was mostly what vexed him so.

You were temptation itself to him and you seemed to know it, your demeanour changing whenever he walked into a room.

It was infuriating.

Then, he saw you dance.

It was one of Tony’s parties, loud music, too many people, but lots of alcohol, flowing freely and without any thought of consequence.

Thor watched from the other side of the room as you dragged Bucky up to the dance floor, the two of you having made fast friends and you were slowly bringing the soldier back out of his shell, a shy smile on his lips as he tried to politely refuse your dance.

But you were having nothing of it, probably fuelled a little by alcohol, and slowly, you managed to get him to dance with you, others on the dance floor cheering.

Thor watched you, his gaze practically burning into your skin as he watched every movement, every flash of teeth as you smiled at Bucky, who finally looked like he was starting to enjoy himself.  Bucky never touched you, but Thor could see it happening in his minds eye, one of his hands clenching on his knee, his teeth gritting together.

“You know, if you want to dance you could just ask her.”  Thor hadn’t even notice Steve sit next to him, his gaze flicking over to him to see him smiling.  “It would be better than sitting there getting agitating over it.”

Thor snorts.  “That woman exists to annoy me.”

Steve chuckles. “Maybe, but have you ever thought she does it for your attention?”

A frown creases his forehead at this, finally dragging his gaze fully away from you to look at Steve.

“You’re a god Thor,” Steven pointed out.  “And she’s an assassin, one that’s killed a lot of people, some very powerful.  The way I think she’s see it is that you are very much out of her league.”

“If she thought that, she wouldn’t tease me so,” Thor growled, throwing back a good half of his drink, enjoying the burn of it down his throat.  “And she certainly wouldn’t be dancing with Bucky.”

Steve shakes his head, still smiling.  “People do crazy things Thor, but I can promise that they are just friends, they’ve been through a lot of she’s probably one of the closest next to Nat to understand what he has been through.”  Steve then pats Thor’s arm.  “Give her a go, talk to her, you might actually find yourself surprised.”

Thor growls as Steve leaves him be, his gaze quickly finding you in the crowd again, finding you now dancing alone, hips swinging to the beat, every movement filled with a casual, practised ease that he knew was from years of fighting.  Your eyes were closed, a slight smile on your lips and in that moment, he desperately wanted to know what you were thinking.

His feet were moving before he thought about it, moving to the dance floor, a few giggles reaching him, ones he ignored, making a bee line for you, his hands resting on your hips.

Your smile at him as you opened your eyes seemed unsurprised.  “I was wondering if you might finally join me.”

He grits his teeth. “Oh?  You could’ve just asked me.”

The laugh tested his patience as you slid away from him, the look back a test on whether he’d follow. “If I did that, I wouldn’t get to see you so riled up.”

He does follow, unable to help himself, the two of you moving around the dancefloor with ease, you staying just out of reach, must to the amusement of several people who had noticed the happenings.

“Why do you like seeing me like this?”  He asked, his gaze having never once left you, curiosity and impatience burning in his veins.  “Especially when I could kill you oh so easily.”

You laugh, the sound dancing along his skin, adding to his desire to reach you and keep a hold of you. “Do you forget who you talk to Thor? I thought I was the only one with the desire to see blood on the battlefield.”

You don’t quiet make it away from him this time, Thor catching your arm, his patience finally at an end as he pulls you hard to him, your back pressed again him and lips lowering to your ear, his voice nothing but a low growl.  “I think we both know it’s not blood we’re after when it comes to each other Y/N.”

The shiver than ran through you at his words were his confirmation, even as you tipped your head back, pressing against him, making him freeze at the smile on your lips. “Is that so?  Well, you certainly haven’t done anything to prove that to me yet big boy.”

It took him so off guard as you kissed his chin that his grip loosened and you managed to dance away from him again, but this time you were quick to prance off the dance floor, grinning madly back at Thor as we watches you disappear from the room.

With a growl almost like a rumble of thunder, only the closest few dancers hearing, he followed after you, determination in his step.

In the corner of the room, Bucky handed Steve a twenty dollar note, rolling his eyes as the soldier grinned.

Thor was tired of this cat and mouse game, so he didn’t give you the satisfaction of hurrying after you, easily striding through the halls of the tower, listing as the beats of the music drew further away and the barely there sounds of your footfalls become a little more audible.

He had decided he had been waiting long enough, now it was time to get a little of his own back.

It seemed to take a long time before he caught up to you, leaning against your bedroom door with an impatient pout that he got a lot of satisfaction out of.  “Am I boring you?”

Thor smirks and shakes his head.  “Hardly, but I like to savour my prey after a successful hunt.”

There was no missing the flash in your eyes, a challenge as you straightened against the door. “Oh?  And who said you’d made the catch yet?”

He moved faster than what you were expecting, a yelp caught in your throat as you suddenly find yourself pinned against the door, Thor’s hands resting either side of your head. “Trust me, I’m very sure.”

There was no missing the dart of your tongue to wet your lips as you looked at him, struggling for a moment to return to the cocky grin you’d had in place before.  “I don’t know Thor, prey can be very wily at times.  I wouldn’t place all your eggs in-”

Thor’s lips crushed against yours before you could finish, the kiss hard and bruising.  You moaned and gave in almost instantly, your arms sneaking around his neck as he pressed you firmly against the door, his hands sliding down your body.

You gasped and shuddered as lightning licked at your skin, the intensity only broke by your clothes, your body melting into him, Thor taking the chance to dominate the kiss fully, his fingers pressing tighter, almost bruising, a smirk on his lips as he swallowed another moan.

Your teeth sunk into his bottom lip and Thor broke away with a growl, his blood on fire as he glared at you and you smirked through half lidded eyes.  “It’s going to take more than that big boy.  I’m not that easy.”

There was no mistaking the growl that rolled through him this time, his eyes dark as thunder seemed to fill the hall, his hands snaking under your clothes, finally meeting your skin, making your gasp at the unblocked connection allowing the lightning to run free in sharp, almost painful bites.

“Funny,” His voice is low, thick, and he nips at your jaw line.  “You seem that easy to me.”

The challenging flash ran through your gaze again but again, Thor was ready, catching your hands and pinning them above your head in one of his.  You were breathing hard, staring at him, wondering what he was going to do next, your body still pinned between him and the door.

When nothing happens straight away, Thor seeming to try and gather himself a little, a sweet smile crosses yours lips, making him tense, preparing himself.

“Thor?”

“Y/N.”

“Would you dance with me?”

Thor groaned, regretting his words from earlier, but there was no missing the hungry look he now gave you, boring into that had your breathe catching in your throat.

He leaned in close, his lips hovering above yours, now in complete control of the situation.  “You are evil, and you must be destroyed.”

You don’t bother to fight the heady moan as he claims your lips again, sinking into his grip as he lets you go and picks you up with one arm, your legs wrapping around him, his other hand gripping blindly for the door handle.

The door finally opens and the two of you enter without breaking the kiss, your hands burying into his hair, making him groan as your nails scratch into his scalp, solidifying his initial thoughts of you even as he kicks the door shut behind him.

[screamingintosilence]

Darling, You're the One I Want

Songfic Writing Challenge Day 9

Paper Rings - Taylor Swift

A/n: we're back, babes! Oof, post vacation has me needing another vacation just to recover

--

She saw Jughead's wince out of the corner of her eye as she unwrapped a brilliant pair of white diamond earrings gifted to her by Veronica. It was so tiny that only someone who spent every day with him and knew him better than he knew himself would have caught it.

“Only the best for my B!” Veronica clapped happily from her perch on Archie's lap. Betty thanked her profusely, getting up to give her a hug, her smile genuine with gratitude to one of her favorite people, but still worrying about Jughead in the back of her mind.

Betty was surrounded by her friends in celebration of her 25th birthday and she felt truly blessed to have all these people in her life.

Toni was sitting with her legs lapped over Cheryl's, the newly engaged - as of last month - Veronica and Archie in their little bubble of joy, Fangs and Kevin curled up next to each other deciding that they are definitely “on” again, and Sweet Pea and Reggie sitting at the kitchen table, being very much Bros and having an arm wrestling contest...again.

And then there was Jughead Jones the third, the love of her life since they were only 15. He was her saving grace as much as she was his. He had recently signed a publishing deal on his book about Jason's murder and the out fall that it caused, a long fought battle that he'd finally won out.

She was so beyond proud of him. She knew all of their friends were, but she had seen him through every long night, every midnight cup of coffee, every frustrated rejection. She had seen the full ten years of this book in the making, and seeing him finally achieve everything he had wanted since he was a little kid writing stories in Archie's treehouse, she knew how much he'd deserved this.

As she opened the next gift Cheryl, a beautiful, white Michael Kors purse, she saw Jughead’s mouth tick as he forced a smile as he abruptly stood, quietly saying that he'd “be right back” and rushed out of the room.

After she hugged her cousin, telling her how much she loved it, and gave it to Veronica to ogle, she followed after her love to their bedroom.

She stood in the doorway, watching him pace back and forth in agitation, biting his thumb nail and running his hand through his hair. She bit her lip in worry.

“Juggie?” His eyes snapped up to her, widening and looking like a cornered animal. “Are you ok, sweetheart? You're worrying me.”

He visibly deflated, reaching out and pulling her towards him, wrapping his much larger frame around her smaller one. Shoving his nose into the strands of her hair, he breathed deeply, letting the smell of her calm and comfort him.

“Jug?” she asked again, her hand stroking up and down his back in assurance that she was there.

He let out a deep sigh, shifting his face so that his cheek rested on the crown of her head.

“Yeah, I'm ok Betts.” She stayed silent, his tone lingering at the end, letting her know that he had more to say. “It's just hard sometimes, ya know? Seeing all the nice things that Veronica and Cheryl can get for you, and you deserve it! Don't get me wrong, you deserve the world and then some, but knowing it's not me that can give it to you? At least, not yet, even with the signing bonus. It's just...it's just so hard and-and I know I'm not handling it with the most grace, but I-I don't know,” he broke off abruptly as if realizing he was rambling.

His arms were tight around her, as if scared she might disappear. She was the very best thing to ever happen to him, his absolute favorite person in the whole world.

“I guess I'm just scared that one day you'll actually wake up and realize that there is someone who can give you all those things, more than I'll ever be able to no matter how many books I publish, and you'll leave me behind.” Betty snorted. “I know, it's crazy, but-”

“Not only is it crazy, it's probably the dumbest thing I have ever heard you say, and I've heard you and Archie play video games.”

“I know, I know. But it's just… I want to marry you Betts. I want to give you this big rock so everyone within a mile can see that you're mine, because it's what you deserve. But it sucks because I want to marry you now and I don't have the ridiculous amount of money for something like that.” Betty pushed him back so he could meet her eyes.

She framed his face between her palms, gently stroking his cheekbones with her thumbs. “Forsythe Pendelton Jones the Third, you listen to me, and you listen good, ok?” He nodded.

“Cheryl and Veronica have a skewed sense of the world and spend money just to spend money, that's what happens when you're an heiress. They don't really have an appreciation for anything less. And yeah, the things they get me are nice and lovely and I like them a lot, but I know that the price of those things barely affects their bank accounts. Knowing how much you toil away and save to get me anything nice is just more to me, especially from you because you're my whole world, Jug.

“And I don't want or need a big rock, good Lord it would be obnoxious.” He laughed at how her nose crinkled at the thought. “Honestly, sweetheart, you could ask me to marry you with a Ring Pop or a paper ring, like the ones we used to make when we were 5, you remember?”

“Yeah,” he chuckled. “You always made the prettiest ones.”

She smiled, “My point being, you can ask me without spending a dime and I would say yes every time, Juggie. I love you and I want to marry you no matter what, ok?” Her green eyes stared into his blue intently.

His gaze held hers, discerning that she was telling him the truth, not that she would ever lie to him. Betty never did with him, their relationship was based 100% honesty. Letting out another sigh, this time of relief, he nodded before pulling her into a passionate kiss.

There was a knocking from the doorway that brought them back to attention that they still had an apartment full of friends and that know wasn't the time to get lost in each other.

“Hey lovebirds, everything ok in here?” Archie inquired, forehead creased in concern for his two best friends.

“Yup!” Betty chimed with a genuine, trademark, Betty Cooper megawatt smile, her hand squeezing Jughead's tightly in continuous reassurance.

“That's great,” he grinned back. “You just have Jug’s present left to open Betty.”

She felt Jug squeeze her hand back, a little too much for just a moment, before relaxing once more into a comforting grip.

She practically skipped out of the room, both boys following in her wake, chuckling at her enthusiasm.

Once back in the living room, Jughead scooped up his present from the coffee table where all the gifts had been gathered, handing it to her with a flourish.

She grinned up at him and wasted no time ripping through the wrapping paper. She got through the tape securing the flaps of the cardboard box together with minor difficulty, only to be met with an explosion of tinsel hiding whatever was in the box from her gaze.

“Really, Juggie?” She gave him a sidelong glace of faked annoyance as their friends laughed. He smirked in response, nodding at her to continue.

“This is going to be a bitch to clean up,” she quipped, throwing handfuls of the glittery strands onto the floor, searching for whatever it is he had hidden in the depths of cardboard.

Her hand wrapped around a small velvet box and she froze, the room going quiet as her eyes grew wide. She couldn't move her hand from still inside the cardboard box, her mind racing, realizing what it was.

“Betts?” Jughead's voice wobbled in slight concern. Her eyes snapped up, reaching his equally as wide eyes, taking in his stance in front of her - one knee on the ground, the other bent.

His hand reached into where hers still was frozen, taking the box from her grasp and pulling it out so all their friends could see. Her eyes never left his as she still was trying to figure out how to breathe.

“Elizabeth Cooper, baby, Betty, Betts. You're my everything. Everything good in my life is because of you, because you fought for me and made it that way. You make me the best possible version of myself, I couldn’t be me without you. I-”

Her brain and her breathing had finally caught up to where she needed them to be, comprehending just what was happening before she launched herself at him, cutting off the rest of his speech as she tackled him to the ground.

“Oof, Betts, I-”

“Yes! Yes yes yes yes yes, a million, billion, trillion times yes!” She pressed her lips his hurriedly, her tongue seeking entrance into his mouth, only vaguely registering all their friends cheering, wolf whistling, and squealing (which distinctly sounded like it came from Reggie).

“You didn't even let me finish!” Jughead laughed, pulling back from her.

“I don't care!” She was sure her face could power Manhattan from how brightly she was smiling. “You can finish it later, I'm just… Oh my god, I'm engaged! I love you so much,” she pressed her lips to his once more, trying to deepen it before he gently pushed her back.

He chuckled at her furrowed brow at his rejection. “Don't you want to see your ring, sweetheart?” He popped the lid of the velvet black box that had stayed securely in his grasp through the altercation, displaying a beautiful thin gold band, with a single brilliant white diamond. Simple, delicate, elegant - Betty in every way.

“I know it's no paper ring,” he ribbed.

“You know I usually hate the word, but it's perfect, Juggie. Even I couldn't make a paper ring this good,” she laughed as he slipped the cool metal onto her left ring finger.

She gazed at it lovingly, watching the facets catch the light, before pulling her fiance in for another kiss, loving just how right the weight felt on her hand.

[victoodles]

Corruption (Crowley x Angel Reader) Part 1

I finished Good Omens yesterday and I wrote this today. The second part (aka the filth) will be coming soon! Also on AO3!

Goody Two-Shoes

That’s what he'd been calling you for the past 6,000 years or so. You were a rule-abiding angel - obediently following orders with no questions asked. Always with an eager flap of your wings. Past tense, however, is key here.

Were.

Now you found yourself lazily draped over the arm of a demon’s throne in his own abode, white dress pooling around your thighs. A cup of wine in hand, held up in the air as you idly swished the liquid. You felt like a girl in one of those oil paintings you saw during the Renaissance.

Like ‘The Venus of Urbino’

Crowley chuckled, bemused but humored. “Like the what now?”

“Oh! Nothing,” you said, forgetting the thought with a swig of your drink. You hadn’t realized you’d actually spoken aloud.

He had recently turned you on to the joys of wine: Chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc, Cabernet, the list goes on. Those uppity Archangels had created a trend amongst the humans. They claimed the stuff was a vice, abhorrent, and immensely sinful. How drab.

Later on, they passed it down the angel hierarchy as gospel, essentially condemning it. It was clearly meant for slothful humans with no faith. You made it a priority to avoid it at all costs, lest you eternally displease your overseers.

However, it seemed Crowley was to be much more...persuasive than the hogwash lectures from Gabriel and Michael. The influence they had over you was unraveling, as much as you tried to deny it.

For this, Crowley seemed to find quite a bit of fun in teasing you throughout the centuries. He ruffled your feathers, quite literally. You had always been by the books - no ifs, ands, or buts. After all, the higher-ups did assign you to tote after Aziraphale once he “lost” his flaming sword. Keep him on the straight and narrow. You hadn't expected the infamous snake of Eden to be along for the ride.

Crowley had quickly made a game with his friend on how many times in one conversation he could make you scoff in contempt. His current record was seventeen.

But the tit for tat was never malicious in nature like his kind was so inclined towards. Much like Aziraphale, he thoroughly enjoyed your company and the banter along with it.

Perhaps even a tad more than Aziraphale.

Try as you may, you couldn’t fathom why the angel would ever keep the company of a demon like Crowley. Demons and angels went together as well as one could expect of fire and gasoline. But despite all your angelic instincts, you decided to keep their friendship (and yours) out of your reports to Heaven.

And as much as you tried to remain prickled towards him, you soon found yourself inching closer and closer to Crowley.

“So I told Cain, ‘In my humble opinion, I think Abel isn’t worth his sheeps' shit.’ I thought he would take it out on his brother’s herd, not beat him to death with a rock,” Crowley explained with an exasperated sigh. “Alas.”

Appalled but not surprised, you clapped a hand over your mouth. “You aided in creating humankind’s first killer?!” Pride tugged at the corner of Crowley’s lips at your declaration.

“Well when you put it like that, it sounds far more exciting doesn’t it?”

You threw a velvet cushion at his head - he dodged it with a laugh. “Crowley! That’s terrible,” you squealed. Crowley leaned back on his palms along his stone table, shrugging nonchalantly.

“In my defense, Cain did receive protection and promises of vengeance from God afterwards,” he said as if it were something to boast about.

“Only for the price of everlasting exile,” you barked back dryly. Crowley regarded you from behind his sunglasses, a devilish (no pun intended) smirk on his face.

“Oh sorry, princess, I forget how positively tame you are in comparison.” Pink rushed to your cheeks at the emphasis on your new nickname. He had a plethora of them -  sometimes a new one for each day of the week.

But the innuendo behind this one had your wings twitching against your back, eager to hide your newfound bashfulness. It was a habit you inadvertently developed whenever Crowley decided to get especially cheeky with you.  

“E-excuse me,” your voice wavered, rising an octave with each pronounced syllable. Crowley’s simper only grew. He brought the bottle of wine on the table to his lips, ignoring the glass he had already poured.

“You’re not exactly the most anarchic, princess. Peace and order appeals to you too much to have any real fun,” he mocked with a click of his tongue.

How dare he!

You turned your nose up at him, “I’ll have you know, Mister Crowley, that I can be quite adventurous.” As if to prove the sentiment, you raised your glass at him. “See? I’m drunk, with a demon!”

That last point was made to really drive home the fact of how bad you were. Crowley was not impressed. He took a hearty sip from his bottle, rolling his eyes in the process. Your frustration only grew at his dismissal.

Crowley regarded you as he drank, loving how the remnants of your blush left your cheeks an enchanting shade of red. You always seemed to captivate him regardless of circumstances. To say he was attracted to your purity, amongst other things, wouldn’t be too far from the truth

A purity he selfishly wanted all to himself.

The demon found himself quite enamored with you for reasons that would be too...saccharine for someone of his ilk to admit. But when you look at him with your big doe-eyes, the heart he swears he doesn’t have beats just a little bit faster. Though he persistently insists it’s just to appear more human when Aziraphale inquires.

He can’t help it. The moment that innocent gaze turns into a fiery glower, he swears he’s never seen anything more intense in his existence.

Sultry. That’s the best word he can use to describe you right you right now. Pursing your lips on the rim of your glass, you attempt to quell your agitation with wine. Your free arm hand loosely grasps the back of the chair, head lolled. He took note of how much leg you were showing as you gently swung your feet back and forth. There wasn’t an ounce of virtue in your posture.

If he didn’t know any better he would’ve thought you a succubus, attempting to disarm and seduce him.

A thought crossed his mind as he released the bottle from his mouth with a pop.

“You know,” he began, slowly licking the remnants of wine off his lips. You noticed, and tried to ignore the thrumming in your chest. “I bet you’ve never indulged in any of the other physical pleasures humanity has to offer,” he said lasciviously.

Plush feathers tickled your spine as you desperately tried to contain your wings. You lurched forward in your seat, choking on wine while he has the gaul to snicker at you.

“The audacity-“

“Well have you,” he cuts you off before you can chastise him. You’re taken aback by how forward he’s being. Petulance then fills you.

“O-of course I have,” you sputter pathetically. He quirked an eyebrow, silently asking you to continue. You face forward, straightening yourself out in a sad attempt to gather more composure.

“...There was a sweet Parisian lad who took me to Carnaval way back when. He tried to teach me to dance and, well, you know how the saying goes. In the end he graced me with a kiss on the cheek under the moonlight. Oh, it was all rather romantic.”

“Quite the little minx, ain’t you? I feel like a sinner in church just listening to ya, princess,” Crowley huffed, throwing back another gulp.

You were burning up more than you knew possible. While other ethereal inhabitants may choose to partake in certain...activities, you decided to stick to modesty. To be chaste. It’s how all proper angels should be!

Right?  

“And I suppose you have then,” you grumbled, defeated.

With that, Crowley’s demeanor shifted. Previous inhibitions gone from a simple question.

He placed the bottle back down, removing his sunglasses in the process. Serpentine eyes, half lidded and glowing a faint yellow in the evening light, bore into you. His legs spread tantalizingly.

Another pang against your ribs.

It suddenly ceased when he pushed himself up and began to saunter over to you.

“Why yes,” he said sensually as he approached.

“Yes.”

Step.

“I.”

Step.

“Have.” His hand found a perch on the ornate backrest as he towered above you. He pushed your legs apart with his knee and stood between them. You inhaled sharply, your glass slipping from your grasp and shattering harshly on the floor beside you. Neither of you paid the mess any mind.

Crowley chuckled darkly, daring to lean in closer. “Lust, quite an enjoyable thing really. Lucifer truly did the world a kindness with that particular circle of Hell,” he mused, looking downward almost fondly. His free hand caressed your cheek, featherlight.

Ironically, you felt heavier. The weight of your unspoken attraction to the demon was crashing down upon you. You tried, for countless years, to subdue any unseemly desires. An angel could not intimately coexist with their mortal enemy, a demon.

...Right?

It had always been a challenge the more attached you became to Earth. To Crowley. Your efforts were tumultuous, yet overall successful. But now, in this moment, it was unbearable.

Suffocating.

Again Crowley slid closer, noses mere inches apart. The sweetness of the wine still lingered on him. “Skin on skin. A heat in your belly that can only be satiated by submitting to carnal urges. Kissing, biting, fucking,” he purred against the shell of your ear.

An unfamiliar shiver wracked your body; you’ve never been this close to another soul before. The rumble of his impish laughter sent that same shiver lower that time.

Those eyes, snakelike but bewitching, they had to be putting you in some sort of trance. It was intoxicating - may it forever bound you within it’s honied depths.

Those eyes.

Behind them was longing, need, warmth.

“Tell me, Angel,” his thumb traces your plush bottom lip. “Would you like to know?”

Ensnared.

“K-know what?” The words were barely a whisper.

The devil always hears.

You planted your own Garden of Eden and reached for the apple of your own accord. The snake hisses with delight from beyond the underbrush.

“Would you like to know what it’s like?” His lips are almost upon yours now, waiting patiently for what they knew would eventually come.

Temptation is a cruel master.